NATO (mostly Canadian) and Afghan forces estimated killing 200 Taliban outside Kandahar Sunday. Four Canadian soldiers were killed and several wounded. If the estimate is correct, this would be the biggest single defeat of Taliban fighters in months, reports the New York Times.

Hundreds of Taliban fighters have been massing in the Panjwai and Zhare districts, just west of Kandahar, the main city in southern Afghanistan. For months, the rebels have been mounting attacks on and near the main highway, stirring fear of an imminent assault in Kandahar.

“The Taliban presence in Panjwai is undoubtedly having a large psychological effect on Kandahar and has to be dealt with,” a senior NATO officer said last week.

Kabul is the Afghan capital now, but Kandahar is the historic capital of the country and was the seat of the Taliban government, not Kabul.

At least the Canadians are focused on the area from which the Sept. 11 terrorists actually came.