Inside Story

The Taliban’s counter-strategy

How will the string of attacks impact coalition operations in Afghanistan?

Five rockets hit Nato’s main military base in southern Afghanistan on Saturday – and in an apparent change in tactics this was followed by a ground assault.

Several people were wounded, but none killed.

Earlier this month, the Taliban launched ‘al-Faath’ – which is being described as a new offensive aimed at Nato-led forces, the Afghan government and their allies.

It was the third attack on a major Nato military hub within a week.

Is this the Taliban’s answer to the promise of a new Nato offensive?

And what will be the impact on coalition operations as some nations consider withdrawing their forces from Afghanistan?

Joining the programme are Mullah Abdul Salam Zaeef, a founder of the Taliban in 1994, and a former ambassador to Pakistan, Robert Baer, a former CIA field officer, and intelligence columnist for Time Magazine, and Michael Griffin, an Afghanistan expert and author of Reaping The Whirlwind: Al Qaeda And The Holy War.

This episode of Inside Story aired from Monday, May 24, 2010.