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Lieutenant General David Richards -- the British commander of NATO -led International Security Assistance Force -- gestures during the formal opening of the first Afghan, Pakistan and NATO intelligence sharing centre in Kabul.(Xinhua Photo)
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KABUL, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) -- While security officials in Afghanistan predict more Taliban attacks in the coming spring, the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) announced Wednesday to take pre-empt action against militants.

This year our ISAF spring offensive will pre-empt their plans and disrupt them just they are trying to get ready, spokesman of the alliance troops Richard Nugee told newsmen at weekly press briefing here.

He made this announcement amid Taliban threat to intensify attacks against Afghan and foreign forces based in Afghanistan in 2007.

Taliban commanders claimed recently that the hard-line group has prepared 2,000 suicide bombers to target Afghan government andNATO interests this year in the post-Taliban nation.

U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan Ronald Newmann also said last week that Taliban would increase their activities in the coming spring.

The Taliban has made incredulous claim of training an additional 2,000 suicide bomber against ISAF and government of Afghanistan. In reality they want to kill more innocent civilians by terrorist attacks than soldiers, the spokesman contended.

Clashes between militants and NATO forces had claimed the lives of more than 4,000 people in 2006,of whom were 1,000 civilians, while continued violence has left more than 300 people mostly insurgents dead so far this year.

"I am confident that the insurgency will not be as violent this year. There will still be some hard fighting but we are taking the fight to them and not letting them to rest," Brigadier Nugee emphasized.

KABUL, Jan. 26 (Xinhua) -- A NATO air strike has probably killed a senior Taliban leader and his deputies in southern Afghanistan, said a statement of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) received on Friday.

ISAF conducted a successful precision air strike on a known insurgent command post in the vicinity of Musa Qala district of Helmand province on Thursday, the statement said, adding the compound was completely destroyed.

NATO: proposed Afghan "contact group" lacks support

BRUSSELS, Jan 17 (Xinhua) -- A proposed "contact group" to coordinate international operations in Afghanistan is unlikely to take shape for lack of support among allies, NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer indicated on Wednesday.

U.S. considers to send more troops to Afghanistan

KABUL, Jan. 17 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Defense Chief Robert Gates on Wednesday hinted at strengthening military presence in Afghanistan where the U.S. and allies have been fighting upsurge insurgency.

Yearender: NATO troops face huge challenges in Afghanistan

KABUL, Dec. 16 (Xinhua) -- NATO forces took command throughout Afghanistan in 2006, which analysts say has thrown the military alliance into the most challenging combat mission in its 57-year history.

UN: Afghanistan faces grave threat in reconstruction

KABUL, Dec. 7 (Xinhua) -- Afghanistan is facing "a grave threat" in reconstruction, which is mainly caused by insurgency, narcotics and corruption, said a UN report released on Thursday here.

France to withdraw special forces from Afghanistan

KABUL, Dec. 17 (Xinhua) -- Visiting French Defense Minister Michele Alliot-Marie said Sunday that her country would withdraw the 200-strong French special forces from Afghanistan soon, media reports said.