Taliban troops are massing for an attack in the north against Northern Alliance positions in Baghlan province. Elsewhere, fighting continued near the Panjshir valley stronghold of the Northern Alliance (100 kilometers north of Kabul.) Meanwhile, the Taliban have made good on their promise to reduce poppy production in areas they control. Foreign observers found hardly any poppy growing in large areas that were full of the plants a year ago. However, the Taliban says that this will not last if foreign aid does not arrive soon to help the farmers produce alternative crops.