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Nato states 'ignore Afghan call' Nato 'must boost Afghan numbers'
(about 4 hours later)
Nato states have failed for more than a year to heed a request for extra troops in Afghanistan, the international commander on the ground has said. The Nato Secretary General, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, has asked the 26 members of the alliance to heed calls for more international troops for Afghanistan.
Lt Gen David Richards told the Financial Times the 26-nation alliance had been seeking a reserve force of 1,000 troops for the past 18 months. He told the BBC some Nato members were carrying more of the burden than others in the fight against the Taleban.
Nato last week asked for a total of about 2,500 extra personnel. Nato leaders have asked members to pledge some 2,500 extra troops.
Its Secretary-General, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, told the BBC he hoped Nato states would meet earlier promises. Nato leads the International Security and Assistance Force (Isaf) in Afghanistan, which currently includes at least 18,500 personnel.
Nato leads the International Security and Assistance Force (Isaf) in Afghanistan, which contains troops from 37 nations and currently numbers at least 18,500 personnel. Some 37 nations have committed troops to the Isaf deployment.
The BBC's Alastair Leithead reports from Kabul that fighting in southern Afghanistan against Taleban militants continues to be intense. Conflict between international troops and Taleban fighters has grown in intensity this year, especially in the southern regions of Kandahar and Helmand.
The militants, who were ousted from government in 2001 by Nato-backed forces, have proved to be a far more determined enemy than anticipated, he notes. The militants, who were ousted from government in 2001 by Nato-backed forces, have proved to be a far more determined enemy than anticipated, says the BBC's Alastair Leithead in the capital Kabul.
'Never met' 'Solidarity'
Nato's supreme commander, Gen James Jones, last week asked for 2,500 extra troops - a 1,000-strong reserve plus 1,500 air support personnel. Speaking to the BBC a day after meeting alliance ambassadors, Mr de Hoop Scheffer said he was working continuously in an effort to boost Nato numbers in Afghanistan.
"That reserve... is nothing more than nations knew was the military advice that was required for 18 months now, endorsed by the Nato chain of command," Gen Richards said. I need a hard-hitting reserve of about 1,000 people I can use wherever I need to throughout Afghanistan Lt Gen David RichardIsaf commander, Afghanistan href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?threadID=3754&edition=1&ttl=20060912131736" class="">Send us your comments "We are working on getting nations to do what they promised. The question here is that nations should live up to what they promised," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.
"That requirement has never been met by nations. The bit it lacked was a hard-hitting reserve of about 1,000 people that I can use wherever I need to use it throughout Afghanistan, although obviously its focus would be the south." "A 26-nation alliance should show this solidarity, so I'm working hard as we speak on getting the extra forces.
Speaking a day after meeting alliance ambassadors, Mr de Hoop Scheffer said on BBC Radio 4's Today programme that he was "working hard" to get the extra forces for Isaf. "I don't deny that I have to do my very best but I'm sure that at the end of the day we'll have the forces because we should, because Nato can't do anything else than that."
"But I'm sure that at the end of the day we'll have the forces," he added.
Nato officials are to hold a "force generation conference" on the troop appeal in Belgium on Wednesday.Nato officials are to hold a "force generation conference" on the troop appeal in Belgium on Wednesday.
Other commitments Commander confident
Fighting in Kandahar and Helmand province continues to be intense, and commanders admit they need extra resources in terms of troop numbers and aircraft, our correspondent says. The secretary general's call was backed by the international commander in Afghanistan, Lt Gen David Richards.
Despite agreeing in principle that the reinforcements are necessary, he adds, Nato countries are reluctant to commit extra resources to such a dangerous part of Afghanistan. Gen Richards said Nato states had failed for more than a year to heed a request for extra troops.
In some cases, he says, they are unwilling even to change rules of engagement to allow the movement of soldiers from quieter and safer parts of the country to fight in the south. He told the Financial Times the 26-nation alliance had been seeking a reserve force of 1,000 troops for the past 18 months.
There is a serious concern on the ground that the extra troops just will not be found and Isaf will have to make do with what it has got, under-resourced or not, our correspondent says. He said Nato members knew 18 months ago that commanders in Afghanistan wanted that force, plus 1,500 air support troops which the alliance's supreme commander called for last week.
"That requirement has never been met by nations. The bit it lacked was a hard-hitting reserve of about 1,000 people that I can use wherever I need to use it throughout Afghanistan, although obviously its focus would be the south."
Despite taking regular casualties, Gen Richards insisted international forces were establishing "psychological ascendancy" over the Taleban.
Nevertheless, some commanders apparently remain concerned about the dangers of committing troops to southern Afghanistan.
In some cases, our correspondent says, they are unwilling even to change rules of engagement to allow the movement of soldiers from quieter and safer parts of the country to fight in the south.
There is a serious concern on the ground that the extra troops just will not be found and Isaf will have to make do with what it has got, under-resourced or not, he adds.