UN approves new Kabul force

The Kabul peacekeepers are a multinational force

The United Nations Security Council has voted unanimously to renew the mandate of the international peacekeeping force (Isaf) in Kabul for one year.

It took the vote after Germany and the Netherlands agreed to assume leadership of the 4,600-strong force from Turkey for six months.

The existing peacekeeping mandate for the Afghan capital, Kabul, had been due to expire on 20 December.

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan has been informed by the German and Dutch foreign ministers that the new command will be in place by 15 February.

But the change of command will be for only six months and not a full year as the United States has been urging.

America has about 9,000 of its own troops stationed across Afghanistan as part of a separate US-led operation to track down remaining al-Qaeda and Taleban militants.

Extension appeal

Continuing insecurity in the country is hampering programmes to restore the economy, ravaged by decades of war.

The peacekeepers' mandate applies only to Kabul and the Afghan Government has again appealed for it to be extended to other cities.

Afghanistan's UN Ambassador, Ravan Farhadi, also called for the creation of a rapid reaction force that could be quickly deployed to flash-points.