Taliban Rebels Still Menacing Afghan South

The New York Times CARLOTTA GALL March 3, 2006 at 11:39 AM
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When Haji Lalai Mama, the 60-year-old tribal elder in these parts, gamely tried to organize a village defense force against the Taliban recently, he had to do it with a relative handful of men and just three rifles. "We were patrolling and ready," he recalled.

A Loy Karez villager in a school that was burned out by the Taliban, which has closed down 200 schools.

But they were not ready enough. The Taliban surprised them under cover of darkness by using a side road. One villager was killed, and 10 others were wounded by a grenade. Two Taliban fighters were captured in the clash. The rest disappeared into the night.

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