BEIJING, Sept. 14(Xinhuanet) -- NATO members have failed to respond to a call from military commanders for reinforcements to try to quell the Taliban insurgency in southern Afghanistan, an alliance spokesman said.

    "No formal offers were made at the table," spokesman James Appathurai told reporters Wednesday in Brussels, where the 26-nation group was meeting.

A British soldier from the NATO sits guard on a armoured vehicle in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan, on July 23, 2006.  (Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery >>>

    NATO's top operational commander, U.S. General James Jones, appealed for 2,000 to 2,500 more troops last week, saying the force was about 15 percent short of full strength.

    NATO commanders admitted the level of resistance was more than they were expecting but Jones said the extra troops could help to defeat the Taliban in the region.

    But on Wednesday, military commanders said their efforts to muster reinforcements for the 20,000-strong NATO force and greater air cover were likely to fail.

    European allies, with thousands of troops already committed in Afghanistan, Iraq, Kosovo, Bosnia, Congo and Lebanon are reluctant to send more to Kandahar and Helmand, where recent fighting has killed 30 NATO troops and hundreds of militants.

    The alliance said Wednesday that suicide bombings have killed 173 people -- mostly Afghan civilians -- in Afghanistan this year. Enditem

    (Agencies)

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