The United States is urging its European allies to commit more troops and equipment to fight the Taliban in Afghanistan.

Nato currently has more than 40,000 troops deployed in the country, but generals say a sharp rise in violence over the past two years has left them undermanned.

However, Nato sources said a meeting on Wednesday in the Dutch coastal resort of Noordwijk was unlikely to see any major reinforcements as several countries are under public pressure to pull their troops out.

"This is not a force-generation conference," one Nato official said.

Robert Gates, the US defense secretary, on Monday accused allies of not living up to past promises on troops, equipment and army trainers, setting the tone for what could be fraught talks.

"The secretary does not seek to single out or embarrass any one nation but remind this powerful alliance of their moral responsibility and collective commitments made at Riga," Geoff Morrell, a Pentagon press secretary, said.

Success pledged

At a summit in Latvia last year, Nato leaders pledged to ensure success in Afghanistan, and Washington considers an increased commitment in manpower and equipment vital to achieve this.

Nato commanders have complained that the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan is about 10 per cent under strength, with helicopters, airlift capability and manpower shortages particularly acute.

While the Czech Republic and Slovakia announced ahead of Wednesday's meeting that they would deploy an extra 160 troops, Britain and Denmark moved to deny suggestions they were preparing to send reinforcements.

Nato members have complained that they are overstretched due to other commitments, including Iraq, Kosovo and Lebanon.

Even the host of the conference, the Netherlands, is considering withdrawing its 1,600 personnel and Japan recently proposed halting its naval operations in support of the mission.

However, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, Nato secretary-general, has said the need for reinforcements is greater than ever during what he called the "most difficult phase" in Afghanistan.

"If we do not prevail, consequences for the public in Europe will be dire," he said.

Fighting has increased in southern Afghanistan over the past two years, leaving about 7,000 dead across the country. It is the bloodiest period since the Taliban movement was forced from power after a US-led invasion in late 2001.

PHOTO CAPTION

A wounded Canadian soldier from the NATO-led coalition crawls for cover seconds after his position was hit by a Taliban shell. [Reuters]

Al-Jazeera