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Helmand troops 'lacking capacity' Helmand troops 'lacking capacity'
(about 1 hour later)
Thousands of US troops have been sent to Helmand province because British forces "lacked capacity", the UK's top commander in Afghanistan has said.Thousands of US troops have been sent to Helmand province because British forces "lacked capacity", the UK's top commander in Afghanistan has said.
General Jim Dutton told the BBC there had been huge areas of southern Afghanistan with no military presence.General Jim Dutton told the BBC there had been huge areas of southern Afghanistan with no military presence.
But Gen Dutton said that was set to change, with thousands of American forces being sent to the south.But Gen Dutton said that was set to change, with thousands of American forces being sent to the south.
In February, US President Barack Obama authorised the deployment of up to 17,000 extra troops to Afghanistan. US President Barack Obama has announced an additional 21,000 American troops will be sent to Afghanistan.
Gen Dutton, deputy commander of Nato's International Security Assistance Force (Isaf) in Afghanistan, said US troops fighting alongside the British would have to end the "stalemate" in the south of the country.Gen Dutton, deputy commander of Nato's International Security Assistance Force (Isaf) in Afghanistan, said US troops fighting alongside the British would have to end the "stalemate" in the south of the country.
Move welcomed Extra troops
Helmand has seen an increase in insurgency and has the highest rate of attacks on Nato-led forces anywhere in Afghanistan.Helmand has seen an increase in insurgency and has the highest rate of attacks on Nato-led forces anywhere in Afghanistan.
The BBC's Martin Patience in the Afghan capital Kabul says Gen Dutton's comments may add to criticism that British forces have been overstretched and under-resourced.The BBC's Martin Patience in the Afghan capital Kabul says Gen Dutton's comments may add to criticism that British forces have been overstretched and under-resourced.
This is denied by the Ministry of Defence but military officials admit that progress has been limited.This is denied by the Ministry of Defence but military officials admit that progress has been limited.
Mr Obama said the additional soldiers had been due to go to Iraq but were being redirected to "meet urgent security needs". In March, Mr Obama said an extra 4,000 US troops would help train up the Afghan army and police.
The US deployment comprises 8,000 marines and 4,000 army soldiers, plus 5,000 support staff, targeted in southern Afghanistan. This was in addition to the 17,000 troops whose redeployment to Afghanistan, mostly in the south of the country, was unveiled earlier in the year.
The move was welcomed by both UK Foreign Secretary David Miliband and Afghan President Hamid Karzai. The UK has about 8,000 troops serving in Afghanistan, most of them in Helmand.
In April, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown offered to send more UK troops to provide security ahead of the country's presidential elections in August.
This would be a temporary deployment involving hundreds rather than thousands of troops, and conditional on other Nato members making a similar move.