Britain 'resolute' in supporting Afghanistan: PM

KABUL (AFP) - Britain is “utterly resolute” in supporting Afghanistan as it fights a Taliban-led insurgency and pursues democracy, Prime Minister Gordon Brown said during a lightning visit to Kabul on Thursday.

Brown flew into the Afghan capital from southern Helmand province where he met British troops at a sprawling base of the Nato-led International Security Assistance Force (Isaf), which is helping Afghanistan fight off the extremists.

Even though countries with troops in Afghanistan had suffered losses in recent weeks, “we are utterly resolute in our determination to support this new democracy of Afghanistan,” Brown said.

Brown pledged more support for Afghanistan, especially in the training and mentoring of the army and police forces and development of the civil service.