"The Taliban won’t fall without a fight" - that's according to the Taliban’s spiritual leader, Mullah Omar.
He has urged his followers to battle to the death.
US marines are continuing to build on their presence near the southern Afghan City of Kandahar.
800 marines are currently camped out at an airfield near Kandahar and it is assumed that they are there for an assault on the city.
US intelligence has been unable to specify how many Taliban are in the area.