In the last three months, some 500 Taliban have been killed. Also, 46 American. troops, 40 Afghan police and soldiers and some 125 civilians have died as well. The rebels are losing support among their traditional base (the Pushtun tribes of the south.) The diehard Taliban have become more vicious as a result, and the tribes have been more willing to tell the army and police where the Taliban gunmen are gathering. Since the army has access to American airpower, this puts the Taliban at a big disadvantage. But the hard core Taliban are Islamic radicals, and believe they are on a mission from God. They also believe they should be running a country.

Near the Pakistani border, police arrested five Pakistanis who admitted they were sent by their religious leader in Pakistan, to fight the Afghan government and American troops in Afghanistan.

The warlord disarmament program has, so far, disarmed 61,417 gunmen. Another 40,000 are scheduled for disarmament and retaining.