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Nato meets Canada's troop demands | |
(about 5 hours later) | |
Canada will continue its frontline role in southern Afghanistan after the February 2009 deadline it has set. | |
It had asked for a further commitment of troops from its Nato allies during a summit in Romania. | |
France earlier confirmed it would send a battalion of troops to the east of the country. | |
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper said that although that commitment was not enough overall, it was a vital step in the right direction. | |
Of the demand for reinforcements, Mr Harper said: "We have satisfied those conditions." | |
France's contribution of around 800 troops was confirmed in a speech on Thursday morning to a session of allied leaders by President Nicolas Sarkozy. | |
"I have decided to reinforce the French military presence with a battalion deployed in the eastern region," he said. | |
Threat to withdraw | |
The US said the pledge would free up some of its troops to bolster Canadian forces in the south. | The US said the pledge would free up some of its troops to bolster Canadian forces in the south. |
Canada had threatened to withdraw its contingent in Kandahar province unless other Nato countries sent reinforcements. | Canada had threatened to withdraw its contingent in Kandahar province unless other Nato countries sent reinforcements. |
Having suffered rising casualties in the south, it wants its forces to be reinforced with a 1,000-strong battle group, along with helicopters and unmanned aircraft. | Having suffered rising casualties in the south, it wants its forces to be reinforced with a 1,000-strong battle group, along with helicopters and unmanned aircraft. |
Will the summit bring peace? | Will the summit bring peace? |
Gen Daniel McNeill, commander of the Nato-led International Security Assistance Force, (Isaf) has asked for as many as 10,000 more troops, in the form of two combat brigades and a brigade of trainers. | |
Isaf's numbers have risen from 33,000 troops to 47,000 in the past 15 months, in response to a resurgence from the Taleban and other militants. | Isaf's numbers have risen from 33,000 troops to 47,000 in the past 15 months, in response to a resurgence from the Taleban and other militants. |
In other developments at the summit in Romania, Nato has confirmed it will not yet offer membership to Georgia or Ukraine, after the 26-member alliance was split amid strong objections from Russia. | |
Moscow said Nato's promise that the nations would join one day was a "huge strategic mistake". | |
Map of main troop deployments | Map of main troop deployments |