NATO countries. NATO took command of ISAF in 2003, its first mission outside its Europe-Atlantic area of operation. Dozens of people have been killed in the country in the past weeks as Taliban insurgents and their Islamist allies step up attacks to derail the Sept. 18 vote -- seen as the next big step in Afghanistan's path to stability. The militants are being pursued by Afghan and U.S.-led forces as ISAF does not have the mandate to carry out offensive operations, Erdagi said. That may change once ISAF expands its presence across the country and differences among NATO members over the issue are resolved, he said. "We don't know yet what kind of decision NATO will make," the Turkish officer said. "Some NATO countries don't want NATO to change its rules of engagement, while some countries think the opposite."
