Attacks and threats did scare many people away, however, especially in the Taliban's southern heartland.

Fighting jumped dramatically as British-led NATO forces pushed into the Taliban's southern heartland for the first time.

They also threatened to take Helmand province in the southern heartland of the insurgency after overrunning several districts.

Afghanistan produces more than 90 percent of the world's opium, most of it in the Taliban's southern heartland.

The transition came after a year of sharply increased violence following the alliance's push into the Taliban's southern heartland.

That lead is expected to widen further when the remaining votes are counted, mainly from the southern heartland of his support.

Many Taliban leaders have been captured and killed, and the group has been pushed out of much of its southern heartland.

At least 47 people were wounded in the attack in Lashkar Gah, provincial capital of Helmand province in the Taliban's southern heartland.

In another province in the Taliban's southern heartland, 15 police surrendered as the rebels were about to attack their post, the Taliban said.

The brunt of the fighting is being born by U.S., British, Canadian and Dutch soldiers, mainly in the Taliban's southern heartland bordering Pakistan.

Possibly the most immediate hurdle to any reconciliation moves is a U.S.-led offensive against the Taliban in their southern heartland of Kandahar this summer.

Last year saw the bloodiest fighting since the Taliban were ousted in 2001, mainly in the rebels' southern heartland of Helmand and neighbouring Kandahar province.

NATO troops have killed almost 50 Taliban guerrillas and several civilians in fighting in the Islamist group's southern heartland, witnesses and alliance officials said today.

The Taliban are more active in their traditional southern heartlands of Kandahar and Helmand, where they are battling thousands of mainly U.S. and British troops.