US bolsters force for Afghan poll

By Nick Childs
BBC correspondent at the Pentagon

US forces have been hunting Taleban and al-Qaeda fighters

The US has confirmed that it will be sending up to 1,100 extra troops to Afghanistan to provide security for next month's elections.

The troops will come from the 82nd airborne division, based at Forte Bragge in North Carolina.

The decision reflects concern about the security situation and the threat of attacks by the Taleban, al-Qaeda or other groups to disrupt the poll.

The US reinforcements are crack troops who have served in Afghanistan before.

According to military officials between 700 and 1,100 troops will be involved.

They will be joining nearly 17,000 US military personnel already deployed in Afghanistan along with other coalition forces, the Nato-led international security assistance force, and the new Afghan national army.

The extra troops will be deploying in the next few days.

While their mission is to support the election - or, as an official army statement put it, the "emerging democratic process in Afghanistan" - the Pentagon is not saying at this stage exactly where they will be deployed in the country or for how long.