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| Browne seeks Afghanistan support | Browne seeks Afghanistan support |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Members of the international community should provide more troops to fight the Taleban in Afghanistan, Defence Secretary Des Browne has said. | Members of the international community should provide more troops to fight the Taleban in Afghanistan, Defence Secretary Des Browne has said. |
| He said the demands set by commanders from Nato's International Security Assistance Force were not being met. | He said the demands set by commanders from Nato's International Security Assistance Force were not being met. |
| Mr Browne said the UK continued to ask countries for "additional support". | Mr Browne said the UK continued to ask countries for "additional support". |
| Meanwhile, a British soldier was killed in a battle on Saturday during efforts to recapture the southern town of Musa Qala from the Taleban. | Meanwhile, a British soldier was killed in a battle on Saturday during efforts to recapture the southern town of Musa Qala from the Taleban. |
| The Ministry of Defence has confirmed the death of the soldier from the 2nd Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment, but further details have not been provided. | The Ministry of Defence has confirmed the death of the soldier from the 2nd Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment, but further details have not been provided. |
| This is going to be a long-term project Des BrowneDefence secretary | This is going to be a long-term project Des BrowneDefence secretary |
| The death raised the toll of British dead to 86 since October 2001. | The death raised the toll of British dead to 86 since October 2001. |
| The defence secretary told the BBC Radio 4's The World This Weekend that the demands set by commanders from Nato's International Security Assistance Force were not being met. | The defence secretary told the BBC Radio 4's The World This Weekend that the demands set by commanders from Nato's International Security Assistance Force were not being met. |
| Mr Browne said: "What is known as the requirement has not yet been met and I think that is well known. | Mr Browne said: "What is known as the requirement has not yet been met and I think that is well known. |
| "And we continue to discuss with our allies and our friends across the international community who can help provide the additional support that that military effort needs." | "And we continue to discuss with our allies and our friends across the international community who can help provide the additional support that that military effort needs." |
| Mr Browne also acknowledged that keeping the Taleban out of parts of southern Afghanistan from which they had been driven would be an arduous task. | Mr Browne also acknowledged that keeping the Taleban out of parts of southern Afghanistan from which they had been driven would be an arduous task. |
| 'Significant shift' | 'Significant shift' |
| "This is going to be a long-term project and I do not personally feel any sense of disappointment that we have made this much progress in six years," he said. | "This is going to be a long-term project and I do not personally feel any sense of disappointment that we have made this much progress in six years," he said. |
| The defence secretary said challenges remained and "the insurgency is still strong in parts". | The defence secretary said challenges remained and "the insurgency is still strong in parts". |
| However, wherever this had occurred, British troops had "overmatched" the Taleban. | However, wherever this had occurred, British troops had "overmatched" the Taleban. |
| Des Browne wants more assistance from the international community | |
| "I believe that over this winter again, we will see another significant shift in our ability to be able to create security, which I hope the Afghans can then take advantage of," said Mr Browne. | "I believe that over this winter again, we will see another significant shift in our ability to be able to create security, which I hope the Afghans can then take advantage of," said Mr Browne. |
| Meanwhile, former Liberal Democrat leader Lord Ashdown has criticised the lack of international co-ordination in Afghanistan amid reports that he is just weeks away from becoming a "super envoy" to the country. | |
| Speaking on Sky's Sunday Live with Adam Boulton, Lord Ashdown said: "I've always said that Afghanistan was more likely to succeed if the international community co-ordinated itself and spoke with a single voice. | |
| "Its failure to do so has led us to a position I think where the relatively low level of resources we are putting into Afghanistan are seriously wasted." | |
| The peer refused to comment on speculation that he is in pole position for a job as joint UN-Nato envoy to Afghanistan. |