Emboldened Taliban Reflected In More Attacks, Greater Reach - washingtonpost.com

Emboldened Taliban Reflected In More Attacks, Greater Reach - washingtonpost.com: "While the number of attacks around the capital has been small compared with the number of attacks in other areas of the country, McCreary wrote, the data showed that the Taliban this summer 'held the psychological initiative. They still lack the ability to threaten the government, but moved closer to achieving it than they have in six years.' Analyses by the Afghanistan NGO Safety Office, a project funded by the European Commission to advise private aid groups about security conditions across the country, found 'a significant monthly escalation in conflict' in the first half of the year. Attacks by armed opposition groups increased from 139 in January to 405 in July, according to the project's director, Nic Lee. 'Every month there's a 20 to 25 percent increase in offensive activity,' he said, adding that attacks in June and July were 80 to 90 percent higher than the same period last year, showing a general escalation in the conflict, rather than seasonal fluctuations. 'Attacks have spread across the entire southeast border area, with a rapid escalation in the east, and in the last four months in the center' around Kabul as well, Lee said. 'These guys have the strategic intent to take back the country.'"