Some 1,700 Afghan and coalition troops have moved into the hills of southern Afghanistan to search for Taliban fighters reported to have moved into the area from Pakistan. So far, over a thousand Taliban have tried to enter from bases in Pakistan and set up bases in rural areas of Afghanistan. But all these attempts have been detected, the infiltrators were hunted down and killed or driven back into Pakistan.

One of the more effective techniques in fighting the Taliban infiltrators are US Army Special Forces reconnaissance teams. These will stake out and watch an area for days or weeks, and note when Taliban suspects move through. That information is then passed to Afghan or coalition forces and arrests made (or the suspects killed if they resist and start shooting, which often happens.) Using this technique, a senior Taliban leader, Mullah Janan, was captured in Uruzgan province.

Meanwhile, a split is developing in the Taliban leadership. Many of the Taliban leaders who did not flee to Pakistan have organized themselves and offered to make peace with the government. These Taliban are appalled at the damage done to their people by the Taliban attacks on aid workers and interference in attempts to rebuild the country. These Taliban are trying to work out a deal for some local autonomy in return for law and order. But this would also mean moderate Taliban Pushtun tribes fighting more hard line groups. This is nothing new to southern Afghanistan, however.