KABUL, Jan 10: US Vice President-elect Joe Biden was told on Saturday that thousands of new American troops expected in southern Afghanistan would need more helicopters and other support to beat back a surging Taliban resistance, an official said.

Biden and South Carolina Republican Sen Lindsey Graham met US Gen David McKiernan, head of the Nato-led force in Afghanistan, said US spokesman Col Greg Julian.

“Gen McKiernan explained the current situation and talked about the incoming troops and the need for additional enablers ... things like helicopters, engineers, military police, transportation assets,” Julian said.

“As we expand in the south we will need those additional enablers to cover for the troops,” he said.

The US is rushing up to 30,000 American troops to Afghanistan, some of whom will go to its volatile southern provinces. At present, there are some 32,000 US troops in the country serving alongside another 32,000 Nato-led and coalition troops.

In 2008, 151 American troops died in the country, more than in any other year since the 2001 US-led invasion to oust the Taliban.

Following a meeting with McKiernan, Biden shook hands and thanked some of the US troops stationed at Nato’s Kabul headquarters.

“Thank you, I mean it sincerely,” Biden told the troops. “It’s a big, big deal, what you’re doing here. You’re making a big sacrifice in a (challenging) environment. Thank you for your service.”

Development issues

Later, Biden met President Hamid Karzai and other officials for briefings on US-led efforts to fight extremists and build the destitute nation, officials said.

The senator also had a briefing from the most senior United Nations representative in the country, Norwegian diplomat Kai Eide, about Afghanistan’s priorities for 2009, the UN office here said.

The meeting touched on security, political and development issues, including the need for coordination of international donors, police reform and regional cooperation, it said in a statement.

Eide emphasised the importance of continuing and determined international support for Afghanistan.

At another meeting, Afghan Interior Minister Mohammad Hanif Atmar thanked Biden for US support but requested more for the building of the police force.

A statement cited Biden as saying: “Security in Afghanistan in the struggle against terrorism is our priority and the police have a key role in this.”

—Agencies