Nato asks for more troops in ‘decisive’ Taliban fight

NATO’S commander in Afghanistan said yesterday that the alliance needed more troops to fight the Taliban, adding the next few weeks will be “decisive”.

General James Jones said NATO had been surprised by the “level of intensity” of Taliban attacks. However, he was confident NATO troops would emerge victorious.

He will meet leading generals from the 26 NATO countries today and on Saturday will visit the Polish capital Warsaw to ask for help in the conflict in southern Afghanistan.