Poland to boost Nato Afghan force

They will join 100 Polish soldiers already on the ground in Afghanistan, but will not arrive until February.

The announcement comes after Nato generals met on Wednesday to demand an extra 2,500 troops for the operation in southern Afghanistan.

Nato forces in the south are facing mounting casualties as they engage in fierce fighting with the Taleban.

But the BBC's Jonathan Marcus says Nato officials in Belgium are making it clear the Polish deployment will not provide the solution commanders had hoped for.

Our correspondent says they urgently need more troops before the onset of winter, when the fighting will slow down.

It is also unclear whether the Polish troops would be available to help the most dangerous part of the mission, in the south, our correspondent says.

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http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/5344596.stm