Authorities in Afghanistan are planning an operation against remnants of the Taliban who have been trying to incite and intimidate people to rise up against the US-backed government.
There have been signs of growing rebellion in southern Afghanistan in recent weeks, including the appearance of 80 rebels in mountain caves near the Pakistan border and two explosions that killed at least 12 people.
Mr Hamidullah Tokhi, the governor of Zabul province, said today that a few armed Taliban had been "troubling" local people to join them.
"But we will not allow them an opportunity to trouble the people," he said. "Taliban are very weak now, but they are forcing people at gunpoint to support the Taliban. They will not be able to".
He said coalition forces were in the province and an operation against the armed men would be carried out soon. He declined to give details.
Last month aid agencies threatened to suspend operations in the province after several of their vehicles were snatched by robbers believed to be linked to the Taliban, ousted from power in a US-led assault in late 2001.
US special forces and the Afghan army are scouring southeastern Afghanistan for members of the al-Qaeda network of Osama bin Laden, Taliban remnants and fighters loyal to former prime minister and renegade warlord Mr Gulbuddin Hekmatyar.