As the shells rain down on Taloqan in north Afghanistan, Ahmad Shah Massoud and his troops run to return fire. But it's too late for the victims of the attack. The 55 dead, as so often, are civilians. As the gateway to the North, Taloqan is coveted by the warring parties. It remains one of the few areas which the Taliban have yet to conquer, in spite of a strong summer offensive. Massoud is still the best hope secular Afghans have of evicting the Taliban and well aware he needs to hang on to the area. As helicopters fly in tons of arms for Massoud's forces, the whisper is they're coming from Iran. Islamic fundamentalism lurks even in Massoud's supposedly secular territory. "I don't like the chador, but since it's an obligation, I don't have any choice", complains one woman. In a "secular" school, children are dutifully chanting the Koran. Even if the Taliban are dislodged, it seems Islamic fundamentalism may be here to stay.

Journeyman Pictures