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Taliban making inroads in key Afghan province

From Peter Bergen
CNN

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(CNN) -- The Taliban -- the Islamic militant group that once controlled Afghanistan and harbored the al Qaeda terror network -- is making inroads in a region 100 miles (160 kilometers) from the Afghan capital of Kabul.

A U.S. military official in Afghanistan said nine of 21 districts in Ghazni province "have significant Taliban influence."

This development -- which has caught the attention of the U.S. military in the past month -- represents an important shift by the Taliban from their traditional strongholds in the south and east of the country.

The Taliban have made a resurgence in southern Afghanistan, particularly where NATO troops are based. (Watch as military officials see disturbing echoes of Iraq -- 2:21)

But these forces have had little or no presence in Ghazni since the Taliban's fall in November 2001. A U.S.-led invasion toppled the government after the September 11 attacks conducted by al Qaeda.

Ghazni is close to a number of restive areas. It is north of the southern provinces of Helmand and Kandahar. It borders Uruzgan in the central area and Paktika and Zabol provinces in the southeast.

The official said the Taliban are moving around Ghazni province in units of 15 to 20 and will take over towns if no Afghan police units are around to stop them.

The Taliban presence in Ghazni may be an effort by the religious militia to "show the flag near Kabul," according to the military official.

Also, Ghazni sits astride the most important road in the country, the Kabul-Kandahar road.

A central objective of the Taliban is to cut communication between the capital and their longtime stronghold in Kandahar. The road already is regarded as too risky for foreigners.

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