KANDAHAR — In the busy bazaars of Kandahar City, where everything from Chinese-made bicycles, to modern cellphones, to naan bread, hung individually on rusty nails, are for sale, there is another steady trade that exists mostly in secret.

DVDs showcasing so-called Taliban "victories" against NATO forces can be bought for as little as 60 cents. They are sold by certain store owners who quietly support the Islamic militant group.

CTV, working with The Globe and Mail, obtained a copy of one of the latest.

Used by the Taliban to recruit new followers, this DVD offers a rare glimpse into the world of the militant group.

Fighters apparently as young as 15 years of age are shown carrying weapons into battle. Their arms range from the standard weapon of choice for the Taliban, the AK-47, to recoilless "armour piercing" rifles, rarely seen in combat.

The video shows others carrying what are claimed to be Stinger missiles, an American invention used to bring down helicopters and other airborne target.

The video follows the fighters as they enter the now infamous region of Panjwaii, located just west of Kandahar City in Southern Afghanistan. This area has been the focus of most of the Canadian military's efforts.

Hiding among vineyards and mud-walled compounds insurgents exchange fire with NATO forces, shouting "Allah Akhbar," or "God is Great," a traditional rallying call of the Taliban along with suicide bombers.

Intermittently a soundtrack plays. In the local tribal language of Pashtu, a singer offers prayers for the "brave and heroic Taliban fighters."

The video is believed to have been filmed in September, around the time when Canadian and NATO forces launched Operation Medusa, a large offensive that ultimately ended up killing hundreds of Taliban.

NATO's Chief of Staff in Southern Afghanistan, Colonel Mike Kampman

At a recent briefing, NATO's Chief of Staff in Southern Afghanistan, Colonel Mike Kampman, described how insurgents had been forced out of Panjwaii and other major populated areas in the South.

"They've pulled back into the mountain sanctuaries, because that's the best way they can hide," he said.

"Are areas like Panjwaii much safer? Yes they are," he said. "What needs to change now is public perception, Afghans need to trust that the streets are safer."

The vehicle to win that trust is reconstruction. With what the military perceives to be a much more stable security situation, NATO commanders say they now will focus on rebuilding the war-torn nation -- whether it be building wells, opening schools or mosques.

Pharmacist Gul Mohammad

But pharmacist Gul Mohammad is part of a growing group of Afghans that question who is ultimately winning in these parts.

Just days ago, six Taliban fighters stormed into his clinic located just a kilometre from a police checkpoint in Panjwaii. The clinic helps treat sick Afghans in the area, and is run by the Afghan Health and Development Services, an international-funded aid organization.

"They called me a son of George Bush and a helper of infidels," said Mohammad. "I said no, I am just helping Afghans."

The fighters then ordered Mohammad into the agency's car, and drove him into the desert.

"They threatened to shoot me in the legs and leave me in the desert to die," Mohammad said. "But one of the Taliban said 'no, let him go'."

After pleading for his life, Mohammad was abandoned in the desert. He made his way to a village, and eventually back into Kandahar City.

"I'm so relieved to be alive," he said. "But I will quit my job, I will never go back to the Panjwai."

NATO commanders call such videos propaganda from a desperate group that is fast losing its support in the region.

Such incidents have been repeated hundreds of times this year throughout Afghanistan. An estimated 300 schools, have been burned or torched by militants. And several school teachers assassinated.

That was the fate of three men in the latest Taliban DVD. Dragged from their Toyota Corolla, they are shot execution-style and abandoned in a field. One armed insurgent claims the three were working for NATO forces as "spies," and warns others against supporting what they call "foreign occupiers." The video goes on to call all Afghans to support the Taliban.

NATO commanders call such videos propaganda from a desperate group that is fast losing its support in the region. However, they also acknowledge that unless NATO can in fact make significant progress in reconstruction in the next few months, it is very likely that public support will begin to erode, and ultimately shift back towards the Taliban.