US to boost troops in Afghanstan

There are already about 34,000 US troops serving in Afghanistan

President Barack Obama has authorised the deployment of up to 17,000 extra US troops to Afghanistan, saying they are to "meet urgent security needs".

Two brigades - one army and one marine - are to be sent, Mr Obama said in a statement released by the White House.

This first major troop deployment under Mr Obama comes as his administration reviews US policy in Afghanistan.

The troops are to be sent before warmer weather brings an expected increase in fighting, defence officials said.

The US already has about 14,000 troops serving with a Nato-led mission. There are also 19,000 US troops under sole US command charged with fighting Taleban and al-Qaeda insurgents.

US commanders in Afghanistan have requested 30,000 additional troops.

The increase "is necessary to stabilize a deteriorating situation in Afghanistan," Mr Obama said.

"The Taleban is resurgent in Afghanistan, and al-Qaeda supports the insurgency and threatens America from its safe-haven along the Pakistani border," he said.

Afghanistan, he said, "has not received the strategic attention, direction and resources it urgently requires".

He said the deployment was made possible by the upcoming drawdown of US troop numbers in Iraq.

The announcement came after the UN said that the number of civilians killed in the conflict in Afghanistan rose by 39% last year.

Militants were to blame for 55% of the 2,118 civilian deaths, while US, Nato and Afghan forces were responsible for 39%, according to the UN report - the highest number since the Taleban were ousted in 2001.