US and Afghan troops have launched an attack (Operation Mountain Viper) against a force of 200-300 Taliban who are surrounded in a mountainous are near the home village of former Taliban leader Mullah Omar. This is in Zabul province, some 300 kilometers southwest of the capital.
President Karzai has replaced nearly two dozen Defense Ministry officials in order to give Pushtuns more representation. This is meant to reduce opposition among Pushtuns to a program to disarm 100,000 tribal militiamen, and pay them to go back to being full time civilians (and only part time gunmen, instead of the other way around.)