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US defence chief in Kabul talks US defence chief in Kabul talks
(40 minutes later)
US Defence Secretary Robert Gates is in the capital of Afghanistan, Kabul, for talks on the rising levels of violence in the country.US Defence Secretary Robert Gates is in the capital of Afghanistan, Kabul, for talks on the rising levels of violence in the country.
Mr Gates will meet President Hamid Karzai and other top officials to discuss ways of combating the resurgent Taleban fighters.Mr Gates will meet President Hamid Karzai and other top officials to discuss ways of combating the resurgent Taleban fighters.
He flew to the country via Brussels, where he discussed the situation in Afghanistan with Nato leaders.He flew to the country via Brussels, where he discussed the situation in Afghanistan with Nato leaders.
He told reporters there that defeating the Taliban was a "top priority". He told reporters there that defeating the Taleban was a "top priority".
Speaking after meeting Nato Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, Mr Gates said they had discussed the Taleban revival.Speaking after meeting Nato Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, Mr Gates said they had discussed the Taleban revival.
Bloodshed in Afghanistan last year returned to levels not seen since the fall of the Taleban in 2001, with southern and eastern provinces particularly hard-hit.Bloodshed in Afghanistan last year returned to levels not seen since the fall of the Taleban in 2001, with southern and eastern provinces particularly hard-hit.
Some 4,000 people are believed to have died in 2006 in the insurgency - about a quarter of them civilians.Some 4,000 people are believed to have died in 2006 in the insurgency - about a quarter of them civilians.
As well as Mr Karzai, Mr Gates will also meet Lt Gen Karl Eikenberry, the top US commander in Afghanistan, and Gen David Richards, commander of the 33,000-strong Nato-led force. Spring offensive
He plans to ask them whether they have sufficient resources to handle any Taleban offensive, a US official said.
This is Mr Gates' first visit to Afghanistan since assuming his post last month.This is Mr Gates' first visit to Afghanistan since assuming his post last month.
As well as Mr Karzai, he will also meet Lt Gen Karl Eikenberry, the top US commander in Afghanistan, and Gen David Richards, commander of the 33,000-strong Nato-led force.
The BBC's Dan Isaacs in Kabul says Mr Gates will see for himself the extent of the militant threat and whether international forces in Afghanistan have the resources to counter an expected spring offensive by the Taleban.
With more US soldiers being sent to Iraq, it is unlikely at present that Afghanistan will receive its own force surge our correspondent adds.
Of the 20,000 US troops in Afghanistan, around half operate under the Nato umbrella.
The rest are under an independent US command, principally tasked with tracking down Taleban and al-Qaeda militants operating on the remote border region between Afghanistan and its neighbour Pakistan.