1,400 extra British troops to be sent to Afghanistan

BRITAIN’S Defence Secretary Des Browne yesterday announced the deployment of 1,400 extra troops to Afghanistan to tackle a threatened Taliban spring offensive, days after Tony Blair announced a major withdrawal from Iraq.

The announcement will bring the total Britain troop level in Afghanistan to around 7,700 until 2009, meaning Britain will have more forces based there than in Iraq for the first time since the 2003 Iraq invasion.

Mr Blair said last Wednesday that Britain would soon reduce numbers in Iraq to 5,500.