In late October 2010, the official website of The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (the Taliban's shadow government), interviewed two Taliban district commanders to assess the impact of the military operation carried out by Afghan and NATO forces in Kandahar province. The operation was launched in August in the areas surrounding the city of Kandahar, the provincial capital.
The operation around Kandahar city, though not the first this year, was begun in view of the Taliban's looming threat to Kandahar city itself. In May 2010, the U.S. had begun an operation to force out the Taliban from some areas of Kandahar city. In late August, the U.S. supported Afghan security forces for a major push into the Mahlajat area, southwest of Kandahar. In September, the international troops launched an offensive in Zhiri and Panjwai districts, the main Taliban strongholds around Kandahar city.
The Taliban website interviewed Mullah Abdullah Mubarak, the commander of Dand district south of Kandahar, and Mullah Ateequllah Agha, the commander of Zhiri district, to comment on the military operations. These districts are considered to be the Taliban's birthplace and have been under Taliban control over the past decade, though the Taliban website noted that the U.S. forces have "expanded" their control in some areas, especially in the Pashmool and Sanzari region of Zhiri district. In their interviews, both the militant commanders accused the U.S. and Afghan forces of bombing civilian homes and farms.
