KABUL, Dec 14: Nato is in talks with Afghanistan’s northern neighbours to allow the shipment of more supplies to troops, the force’s commander said on Sunday, after Taliban attacks destroyed hundreds of trucks coming from Pakistan.

Nato has been looking for alternatives to the main supply route through Pakistan where Taliban militants have torched some 300 trucks laden with supplies, including military vehicles, in five attacks in the last week alone.

General David McKiernan, commander of Nato-led troops in Afghanistan, said most fuel for foreign forces comes from Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan and the US military confirmed it receives 350,000 gallons (1.6 million litres) of fuel via Afghanistan’s northern neighbours.

“There are certainly ongoing political discussions between Nato and countries to increase the through-put of material coming in from highways on the north side of Afghanistan,” McKiernan told a news conference, adding “most of our fuel actually comes from the north”.

Attacks on military supplies in Pakistan occur beyond the reach of US and Nato forces, and have become more spectacular with the arrival of insurgents driven out the Bajaur region by Pakistan’s army, US military officials in Washington said.

“As a military leader I think it’s very important to have multiple lines of re-supply, but I would also say that’s very important for the future economic interests of Afghanistan as well,” McKiernan added.

McKiernan said he wanted to bring the “minimum additional security forces” to Afghanistan and most of the US brigade of troops due to arrive in January would be sent to Logar and Wardak provinces, on the southern fringes of the Afghan capital.

A brigade of troops is typically 3,500 to 4,000 strong.

The troop increase is intended to try to stem the expansion of Taliban influence into regions bordering the capital and prevent the rising sense of insecurity in Kabul.

The US administration is currently considering a request from McKiernan for an additional 20,000 troops to be sent to Afghanistan over the next 12 to 18 months.—Reuters