Reports of 2,000 extra troops for Afghanistan

Defence chiefs have played down reports that they were preparing to send an extra 2,000 soliders to Afghanistan. According to some reports, reinforcements were to be deployed in the region next year to meet an expected request from incoming US president Barack Obama. But the Ministry of Defence said: "We have not received a request for extra troops and the figure of 2,000 is not one we or No 10 recognise. "Whereas we keep our force levels under constant review, based on military advice, there is no further intention to increase force levels at this time." There are 8,100 British forces in Afghanistan with the operational thrust in Helmand Province. Mr Obama is planning to send two more combat brigades to Afghanistan and is expected to call on other Nato allies to beef up their own deployments when he takes office in January. The British military death toll in Afghanistan and Iraq reached the grim milestone of 300 when two Royal Marines were killed in Helmand province. The pair, who were serving with the UK Landing Force Command Support Group, died when their vehicle was struck by an explosive device in the Garmsir district of southern Helmand. The news came as Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Afghan president Hamid Karzai met in London to discuss the strategic situation in the region, with economic problems and unrest growing in neighbouring Pakistan. No10 stressed that the talks had focused on how the UK's support operations in Afghanistan could be enhanced rather than the possibility of more troops being sent.

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ITN | November 14, 2008

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