LONDON: Britain is to boost its troops in Afghanistan to 9,000 until later this year, to help secure the country through upcoming elections, Prime Minister Gordon Brown said Wednesday.

The British government had already announced an increase of its forces from 8,000 to 8,300 ahead of the August elections, but Brown announced the further troops 'until the autumn.'

Unveiling a new British strategy for Pakistan and Afghanistan, Brown also underlined the threat from Al-Qaeda and its allies in both countries, and said Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari will visit Britain next month.