Taliban resurgence seen

KABUL, Afghanistan, Nov. 26 (UPI) -- The Taliban have resurfaced in the once calm northern Kunduz province of Afghanistan, becoming a major concern to the military, security officials say.

Western officials told The New York Times the insurgency in Kunduz has grown more sophisticated, with the militants mounting coordinated suicide car bombings and ambushes.

It is feared the militants could become a major threat as the area has become critically important with the opening a new logistics route for NATO supplies from Russia and Central Asia, the report said.

Prior to the Taliban resurgence, the region had been so peaceful its security was left to a few thousand German peacekeepers aided by just one Afghan logistics battalion, the report said.

However that status has changed lately. For five days this month, Kunduz residents heard NATO air raids, the first such fighting since 2001 when the Taliban were ousted from power, the report said.

The Times said the change points to the spread of the militants' influence and what awaits U.S. and NATO forces, even with more troops if they are authorized by U.S. President Barack Obama under his new Afghan strategy, expected to be announced next week.

The report said not much of the expected increase in force will be deployed to the north, since much of the force will likely deployed in the more critical regions in the south and east.

Afghan and international officials told the Times security has badly deteriorated in the Kunduz area largely due to a lack of vigilance by the government and international forces.