.WASHINGTON, May 12: Taliban strength in Afghanistan is on the rise and even with a growing NATO security force the country’s defences against explosive devices and suicide bombings are severely strained, the Afghan ambassador said on Friday.

The Taliban are acquiring more sophisticated weapons and motorcycles from abroad and continue to receive training in Pakistan, Ambassador Said Tayeb Jawad alleged in an interview.

Taliban fighters are crossing the border into Afghanistan 15 to 20 at a time, and are able to kill five or six Afghan police officials, who are trying to make do with old Soviet-era jeeps, with a single mine, Mr Jawad said.

“So what we need and demand is better help for our police forces and also resources to strength district-level administration,” the ambassador said.

According to Pentagon estimates, there are 20,000 to 23,000 American soldiers in Afghanistan. Mr Jawad says the US strength is 19,000 and will be reduced to 16,500.

Nato is increasing its security force from 9,000 to 21,000 by the end of the year, Mr Jawad said.

One reason for the spike in Taliban attacks, he said, was the NATO expansion in the south of the country. “The terrorists hope to deter NATO countries and get them to change their minds by attacking NATO troops,” he said.

On Monday, the commander of US-led forces, Lt Gen Karl Eikenberry, told reporters at the Pentagon that troop levels had increased by about 15 per cent since the beginning of the year and that he was not ready to recommend a reduction.

Gen Eikenberry said the surge in Taliban attacks was due more to weak government institutions than a major improvement in Taliban’s strength.

But Mr Jawad told the Associated Press that Afghan troops were stretched thin and up against better weapons in the hands of Taliban.

In some instances, he said, 10 to 15 Afghan soldiers are deployed to defend districts hundreds of kilometres wide. The soldiers are poorly trained, not properly equipped, some have not been paid for months and have only two clips of ammunition.

“They are brave, but they are very vulnerable,” he said.—AP