THE HAGUE, March 2: Nato chief Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said on Sunday he was “worried” about the alliance’s troops in Afghanistan because of tensions over an anti-Islam film by a Dutch far-right politician.

“I feel responsible for troops in Afghanistan,” the Nato secretary general told a television programme, according to a news agency. “If they find themselves in the line of fire because of the film, then I am worried about it and I am expressing that concern.”

Some 1,600 Dutch troops are stationed in southern Afghanistan as part of the 40-nation Nato-led force helping the government battle a Taliban insurgency.

A Taliban spokesman on Thursday threatened to step up attacks on Dutch soldiers if the “insulting” film was telecast. Mr Scheffer said Afghan President Hamid Karzai and US officials have also expressed concerns over fallout from the film.—AFP