WASHINGTON, Feb 14: The Pentagon announced plans on Wednesday to maintain some 27,000 US troops in Afghanistan -- the most since it invaded the country in 2001. The Pentagon said an airborne brigade that was being readied for deployment in Iraq, would now be sent to Afghanistan.

Bryan Whitman, a Pentagon spokesman, said the 173rd Airborne Brigade based in Vicenza, Italy, would deploy in Afghanistan in the spring to replace a brigade from the 10th Mountain Division, whose tour has been extended by 120 days.

The moves have pushed US force levels in the country to 27,000, the most US boots on the ground since Washington launched Operation Enduring Freedom in Oct 2001, Pentagon officials said.

The 173rd `has been preparing to go and today we're announcing that instead of going to Iraq it's going to Afghanistan’, Mr Whitman told reporters.

Mr Whitman said another brigade would be identified to take the place of the 173rd in the rotation of forces to Iraq, which also are being increased by more than 21,500 troops over the next few months.—AFP