Afghanistan May Get More Troops

The British government will not rule out sending more troops to troubled provinces in Afghanistan where security is still lacking and the Taliban are reappearing.

This week it said it was sending a detachment of about 70 soldiers to Mazar-i-Sharif, in the north, in addition to the 300 it has in Kabul. Officials said sending further troops to Mazar was possible, but stressed that the number would not be significant.

On Wednesday seven Afghan soldiers were killed in a clash with the Taliban, who are said to have lost 40 dead, about 20 miles north-east of the border town of Spin Boldak.

The Afghanistan president, Hamid Karzai, who met Tony Blair at Downing Street yesterday, is pleading for the the Isaf, the US-led international force, to be deployed outside Kabul, to provide security, and for more money for reconstruction.

Mr Blair and Mr Karzai also discussed the efforts to build up an Afghan army, the introduction of constitutional government, and the reduction of Afghan opium production.

Mr Blair told Mr Karzai Britain was unlikely to provide more money, given that its contribution was already £180m a year.