Pakistan's Taliban leaders have pledged to scale back their battle against the government to help their Afghan counterparts fight the US surge, the New York Times reports. The leaders issued a statement promising to settle their internal differences to "bring dishonor on the infidels" after a visit from a delegation sent by Afghan Taliban commander Mullah Omar.
The new Taliban alliance worries both NATO commanders and the Pakistani government officials, who fear it will bring more US attacks on its border area. Older Taliban commanders near the Afghan border have been removed for replacement by a new generation of leaders planning a wave of roadside bombings and suicide attacks, said Taliban representatives.
(More Taliban stories.)