In eastern Afghanistan, about 30 kilometers from the Pakistan border, about 40 Taliban encountered a US Army Special Forces A Team, working with two dozen Afghan troops. In the ensuing battle, nine Taliban were killed, mostly by Special Forces snipers. The rest of the Taliban fled back to Pakistan. There were no friendly casualties. The Taliban rarely operate in large groups because they are easier to find. The US still has A-10, AC-130 and Predator UAV aircraft in Afghanistan, as well as heavy bombers on call from Diego Garcia far to the south in the Indian Ocean. Most Taliban attacks are by small (2-4) groups of men who fire a few shots and flee. A lot of the "attacks" are really banditry or conservative tribesmen giving the traditional greeting (often fatal) to strangers.