BRUSSELS: Nato began taking steps on Thursday night to extend its Afghan peacekeeping mission to areas beyond Kabul, in an attempt to tackle tribal warlords and improve security and reconstruction efforts.

Military experts are to report next week on how to strengthen the 5,500-strong International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in line with the demands of the Afghan government and the UN.

“We’ll be asking the military authorities to look at the security situation, report on how to fill shortfalls in the current force and examine options for extending support for the government’s security efforts beyond Kabul,” a diplomat said.

A bigger Nato force is needed to protect provincial reconstruction teams operating in remote areas and speed up the demobilisation of militias. It is also expected to help reduce the burden on the 11,500-strong force under US command fighting remnants of Al Qaeda and the Taliban.

Afghanistan is still a sensitive issue for Nato’s 19 member states. France and Belgium are reluctant to get more deeply involved.

Germany, playing a key role, wants to deploy a reconstruction team of several hundred civilians protected by 230 military personnel in the Kunduz region. But it will only do so if it is linked to th the UN-mandated ISAF mission.

Nato took command of ISAF last month: its first military mission outside Europe and North America. Its leaders say the operation is a sign that it has moved beyond its old cold war role and is taking on truly global security missions.

The UN mandate limits ISAF’s activities to the capital, helping the Afghan authorities maintain order and training the local security forces.

Thirty-one countries currently contribute to ISAF, with the leading roles played by Canada, with 2,100 personnel, and Germany, with 1,800.—Dawn/ The Guardian News Service