U.S. allies to send 6,800 more troops to Afghanistan

BRUSSELS, Dec. 9 (Xinhua) -- A NATO spokesman said on Wednesday that 36 ISAF members had pledged some 6,800 more troops to Afghanistan at a force generation conference, which is seen as a move to bolster U.S. President Barack Obama's new Afghan strategy.

James Appathurai told a press briefing that the force generation conference, held in Mons of Belgium on Monday, was "a strong demonstration of commitments and solidarity by our allies and partners" and the non-U.S. members of the ISAF pledged about 6,800 forces, excluding any forces deployed temporarily for the Afghan elections in August.

The spokesman did not specify which countries had promised more troops and the number of troops each country would send.

On Dec. 4, NATO Secretary-general Anders Fogh Rasmussen said that at least 25 countries had promised about 7,000 extra troops to Afghanistan and more troops were expected as some countries would make their decisions after the international conference on Afghanistan in January next year.

Appathurai said that the allies at the conference also pledged support for the training mission in Afghanistan, which is seen as a keystone for transition to allow foreign forces to withdraw eventually.

A total of over 150 army training teams and 340 police training teams in Afghanistan have been pledged, he said, adding the alliance is seeking around 20 army training teams and 30 police training teams next year to fill the requirements of training mission.

While sending more troops to Afghanistan to fight Taliban insurgents, the alliance attaches great important to the transition strategy, which is to train Afghan security forces and hand over responsibility for defense and law enforcement to the country's government.

On Dec. 1, President Obama said he would deploy 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan in the first half of 2010, in a prime time address at the United States Military Academy at West Point, and called on NATO allies to follow suit.