Anand Gopal

In Afghanistan, the US and NATO reassess their strategy amid concerns that their efforts are failing.

Kabul, Afghanistan - The Afghan government and its allies are reconciling with moderates and isolating hard-liners in a bid to split the insurgency, Western and Afghan officials say.

The idea of wooing moderates has gained traction as violence in Afghanistan has reached record levels this year. The United States and NATO are reassessing their strategy amid a growing chorus of Western officials who say that the international effort here is failing.

“Some ministries have started a program to try to separate Al Qaeda and the Taliban,” says Ursala Rahmani, a former Taliban official who has been involved in talks with the government. Mr. Rahmani says that the Interior and Defense ministries are involved in the effort.

“We are trying to exploit the natural tensions that exist between Al Qaeda and those under Mullah Omar,” the fugitive leader of the Taliban, adds a senior intelligence officer with the international forces, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

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