A few days after my arrival at Kandahar Air Field, I was fortunate enough to hitch a ride to the Panjway District, also known as the birthplace of the Taliban located just a few kilometres southwest of Kandahar City.

First stop was Mas'um Gar or better known as MSG -- the main forward operating base in the Panjway District where Canadian tanks overlook a valley.

The Taliban used to rule here, that is until NATO troops drove them out in 2006 during Operation Medusa, but not without taking several casualties.

At the height of the fighting, all of the villagers had fled the area but have since returned and are now under the protection of the Canadians.

"There are still Taliban in the area," says Captain Mike Gough, but the situation is much better than it was a few years ago."

Although most of the gun fighting has stopped, the threat of improvised explosives devices is always there. A few days ago, a young Canadian soldier stepped on an IED while on patrol and was seriously injured.