July 31, 2006: NATO took control of combat forces in southern Afghanistan. For the first time in its history, NATO is commanding forces in a combat zone. The NATO force consists of British, Canadian and Dutch troops, and takes over from an American force.
So far, the increased Taliban operations have gotten lots of Taliban killed, closed many schools and interrupted many reconstruction and relief projects. The net result has been less popular support for Taliban.
In eastern Afghanistan, a car bomb outside a Mosque was apparently aimed at a provincial governor. The bomb killed eight people, but the governor escaped harm.
July 30, 2006: Over the last six weeks, Afghan and Coalition forces have been killing about a hundred Taliban fighters a week. Friendly losses have been about one tenth those of the Taliban.
July 29, 2006: U.S. forces arrested four al Qaeda operatives in the south. The foreigners were carrying documents indicating their identity and mission.