KABUL, Jan 25: The Afghan, Pakistan and Nato militaries in Afghanistan formally opened their first intelligence-sharing centre on Thursday to boost cooperation against the Taliban and other extremists.

The commander of the Nato-led International Security Assistance Force (Isaf), General David Richards, said the launch of the Joint Intelligence Operations Centre (JIOC) was historic in the war on terror and against insurgents.

“Already, there is a great deal of close cooperation that goes on on a daily basis that you don't even know about,” he told reporters outside the centre, which is in the heart of the Isaf headquarters in Kabul.

“We have a very open relationship — the three armies.

We share a lot of intelligence all the time that you wouldn't even understand and it will continue with the renewed energy.”

The centre is staffed with six intelligence and operational officers from each of the Afghan and Pakistani armies and 12 Isaf staff.

It builds on intelligence-sharing between commanders of the three militaries who meet every two months under a Tripartite Commission.

The centre's establishment comes amid growing tension between Afghanistan and Pakistan over the Taliban-led insurgency, which has grown steadily stronger since its launch after the hardliners' rout from the government in 2001.—AFP