KABUL, Sept. 20 (Xinhuanet) -- As parts of its efforts to boost security in Afghanistan, the United states has decided to send additional troops ahead of the landmark Oct. 9 presidential elections, a US military spokesman said Monday.

    "The United States is also deploying a force of more than 1,000additional soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division to areas in southern Afghanistan," Scott Nelson told journalists here.

    He said these troops would arrive at the end of September but he declined to give the exact date.

    However, he noted that "these troops would leave for Afghanistan within two to three months depending on the situation."

    With the arrival of these contingents, the strength of the US army in Afghanistan would surpass 18,000.

    The strength of the US troops in the post-Taliban central Asianstate has been constantly increasing since its deployment in late 2001 after the fall of Taliban.

    Earlier Spain and Italy sent two battalions to Afghanistan to help ensure security for the elections.

    Taliban's regime was ousted under a US-led military campaign nearly three years ago but its die-hard remnants launched a guerilla-like war, in which hundreds including the rebels, US and Afghan troops have been killed over the past two years.

    The number of US troops in early 2002 was 11,700 but Taliban's continued insurgency forced Pentagon to beef up its military presence gradually.

    Earlier anther contingent of US military was deployed in Afghanistan under the flag of NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).

    "The United States has also deployed one infantry company in support of ISAF," the US Major added.

    More than 20,000 US-led coalition troops plus 10,000-strong ISAF force in coordination of Afghan National Army and Police havebeen tasked to ensure security for the upcoming Afghan presidential polls.

    Taliban's leader Mullah Mohammad and his fundamentalist allies,who termed the forthcoming presidential poll a "US-made election,"have vowed to derail it by any possible means. Enditem