The Taliban last year "seriously rejoined the fight" in Afghanistan, an NGO security group said in a report that concluded the country was "at the beginning of a war, not the end of one."
ISAF may number about 41,000 soldiers but "realistically" could not have more than up to 7,000 for combat, with the rest mostly support staff or prevented from fighting because of national restrictions, the group said. The size of the Taliban force was unknown, but estimates ranged from 2,000 to 20,000.