Abdul Khaleq / AP Photo
The Taliban's bomb makers have not been deterred by the increased presence of Marines and Afghan soldiers in Marja, as convoys continue to confront new mines placed in their way, The Washington Post reports. And in addition to insurgent forces firing rocket-propelled grenades at coalition bases, the Taliban has turned to human shields, using the bodies of women and children to protect themselves, according to The Guardian. The Post says American troops control a small part of the farming community and Newsweek reports a Taliban leader known to officials as the "shadow governor" of Afghanistan's Kunduz province has been captured in Pakistan. Pakistani authorities, working in concert with U.S. officials, caught Mullah Abdul Salam about a week ago, around the same time that Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the Taliban's second in command, was captured. Three other militants were also detained along with Mullah Salam.