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US defence chief in Kabul talks US defence chief in Kabul talks
(about 1 hour later)
US Defence Secretary Robert Gates has met President Karzai and other Afghan leaders in Kabul to discuss ways of combating resurgent Taleban fighters. US Defence Secretary Robert Gates has met Afghan President Hamid Karzai in Kabul to discuss ways of combating resurgent Taleban fighters.
Mr Gates told reporters after the talks that cross-border Taleban raids from Pakistan had to be addressed. Mr Gates told reporters after the talks that he was concerned at Taleban activity in the Pakistan border region.
He was on his first trip to Afghanistan since being appointed. But he said Pakistan was a close ally working hard to deal with the problem.
He flew to the country via Brussels, where he discussed Afghanistan with Nato leaders. He told reporters that beating the Taleban was "top priority". Mr Gates also met commanders of US and Nato forces in Afghanistan. He made no firm commitment on whether more US troops would sent to the country.
Speaking after meeting Nato Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, Mr Gates said they had discussed the Taleban revival. 'Come and get beaten'
Addressing a joint news conference with Mr Karzai, the US defence secretary called attacks from over the border in Pakistan and al-Qaeda networks operating there "a problem".
"These are issues that we clearly will have to pursue with the Pakistani government," he said.
For his part, President Karzai was asked about the spring offence threatened by the Taleban.
The Afghan people and the international community, he said, are ready for them when they come. And Mr Karzai added: "we want them to come and get beaten".
This was Mr Gates' first visit to Afghanistan since assuming his post last month.
During talks with the Afghan defence minister he was quoted as saying that the US would stay in Afghanistan "until you can stand on your feet".
Mr Gates schedule included talks with Lt Gen Karl Eikenberry, the top US commander in Afghanistan, and Gen David Richards, commander of the 33,000-strong Nato-led force.
Lt Gen Eikenberry has re-emphasised US concerns over how the Taleban operates from within Pakistan.
"The enemy does use both sides of the border, they use the inside of Pakistan as well for command and control," he told journalists, Reuters news agency reports.
"And they have senior leaders that operate on both sides."
Spring offensive
Mr Gates flew to Afghanistan via Brussels, where he discussed the situation in Afghanistan with Nato leaders.
Bloodshed in Afghanistan last year returned to levels not seen since the fall of the Taleban in 2001, with the southern provinces of Helmand and Kandahar and areas in the east of the country particularly hard-hit.Bloodshed in Afghanistan last year returned to levels not seen since the fall of the Taleban in 2001, with the southern provinces of Helmand and Kandahar and areas in the east of the country 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.
Spring offensive The BBC's Dan Isaacs in Kabul says no new major policy initiative was expected from Mr Gates' visit, but greater flexibility for those troops already on the ground in Afghanistan is seen as vital.
This is Mr Gates' first visit to Afghanistan since assuming his post last month.
During talks with the Afghan defence minister he is quoted as saying that the US would stay in Afghanistan "until you can stand on your feet".
Mr Gates schedule includes talks with Lt Gen Karl Eikenberry, the top US commander in Afghanistan, and Gen David Richards, commander of the 33,000-strong Nato-led force.
Lt Gen Eikenberry has reemphasised US concerns over how the Taleban operates from within Pakistan.
"The enemy does use both sides of the border, they use the inside of Pakistan as well for command and control," he told reporters, Reuters news agency reports.
"And they have senior leaders that operate on both sides."
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.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.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.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.