Afghanistan: Hundreds of extra combat troops will be deployed to southern Afghanistan under plans being drawn up by the British ministry of defence as part of a review of tactics by British and Nato commanders.
The contingency proposals have become necessary because of the unexpected strength of Taliban fighters who have drawn British troops into a series of clashes.
Over the weekend two more British soldiers were killed in fierce fighting in the province of Helmand, and yesterday British commanders made it clear they want better equipment for their troops, including helicopters and armoured vehicles.
Defence officials said yesterday there were no plans to increase the total number of British combat troops from the 3,300 announced in the House of Commons earlier this year. However, defence sources said extra infantry could replace 800 engineers who have finished building Camp Bastion, the British base near Lashkar Gah.
Any increase of combat troops is likely to provoke renewed concern about the mission in Afghanistan, and how its terms of reference have changed from reconstruction to fighting.
Yesterday Mike Gapes, Labour chairman of the Commons foreign affairs committee, demanded an urgent statement from the government about the objectives British troops were being asked to achieve.
Two soldiers from the 3 Para battle group were killed, and four injured, on Saturday in a firefight at their forward base in the Sangin valley, northeast of Helmand province. An Afghan interpreter was also killed.
Lieut Gen David Richards, commander of all Nato troops in Afghanistan, has expressed concern in the past week about the size and make-up of his forces there. Yesterday he said: "No general in history has ever had as many resources as he would like. Bottom line, I am content with what I have and I have the resources required to carry out the mission."
However, Brig Gen Ed Butler, commander of British forces in southern Afghanistan, warned there would be further casualties ahead in the battle against Taliban forces.
There were signs yesterday that ministers are becoming increasingly concerned about growing doubts among the public over Britain's mission in Afghanistan. "We can only do things with more public support," a senior defence source said.
However, British commanders say the government's stated mission for British troops - to rebuild the country - cannot be achieved without adequate security and that means fighting insurgents and Taliban fighters, many of whom are being freely allowed to come over the border from Pakistan.
- (Guardian service)