The Taliban have increasingly been attacking foreign aid workers and foreigners in general. This is an Afghan tradition that goes back thousands of years. The region has long been known for its hostility to foreigners, even those who are there to help the locals. In the last year, attacks against foreign aid workers have gone from one a month to about 15 a month. The Taliban see themselves as losing support if the foreign aid projects improve the lives of Afghans. Also, the attacks help to terrorize Afghans into following orders from the Taliban.