The new US commander in Afghanistan, General John W. Nicholson, has submitted his first three-month assessment of the situation in the country and strategies to defeat the Taliban.

The report comes at a time of increased Taliban acitvity in Afghanistan, with the group gaining ground in southern provinces. Though the content of the report is confidential, the US strategy in Afghanistan received a boost this month when president Barack Obama decided to expand America's involvement with increased airstrikes against insurgents.

Nicholson's review is widely expected to include a recommendation for more US soldiers on the ground in Afghanistan to boost training.