Rashomon time: An AP story I found at AOL says the Taliban have seized control of four Afghan provinces:

Taliban rebels have gained control over four districts in Zabul Province in southeastern Afghanistan, Afghan Islamic Press reported Monday, quoting a senior provincial official.

The Pakistan-based news agency quoted Maulvi Muhammad Omar, deputy governor of Zabul, as saying the four districts that have fallen under control of Taliban are Atghar, Nowbahar, Shenkay and Shamalzi in the southern part of the province.

"No government official is there to run the affairs of the districts and these areas are occupied by Taliban or their supporters," he said.

Omar also said Taliban are suspected of being involved in several bomb explosions, including a failed bomb attack on the governor, and the kidnapping of a Turkish engineer in the province recently. The engineer is still missing....

But Agence France-Presse says tribal chiefs, not the Taliban, are in charge:

Afghan authorities have lost control of at least seven districts in troubled southeast Zabul province, the deputy governor said Monday.

But tribal chiefs and elders, rather than resurgent Taliban forces, were in control of the areas, Mawlawy Mohammad Omar said.

"There is no government control over Atghar, Naw Bahar, Shinkay and Shamazai in the south of the province," deputy Zabul governor Omar told AFP by satellite phone from the provincial capital Qalat.

"There are some other districts such as Shahjoy, Daychopan and Khak-e-Afghan where the government has no control but the Taliban do not control these areas either."

He said Taliban were fighters were moving around the districts on motorbikes.

"But they aren't powerful enough to threaten the administration," Omar said....

Well, one thing's clear: We're not in charge, nor are our allies.

*****

"Who's in charge here?"

"Ain't you?"

--from the screenplay of Apocalypse Now