sentences:  Prior to the revolt, there had been sporadic reports of violence in the area.On 24 November 2009 it was reported that six Taliban fighters, including Mullah Khairullah, the Taliban district chief, were killed when going from Gizab District to Charchino area.The Taliban had maintained a presence in the Gizab area since late 2007 as it is a strategic crossroads for insurgents coming from Pakistan and traveling to the contested provinces of Kandahar and Helmand.