BERLIN - Germany plans to increase the number of its troops in Afghanistan by 1,000 this fall, senior defence officials said Tuesday.
The proposed increase would bring the total German commitment to the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force, or ISAF, to 4,500, Defence Minister Franz Josef Jung and military chief Wolfgang Schneiderhan said.
They also recommended extending the deployment of the troops through at least December 2009.
U.S. Gen. James Mattis, NATO's commander in charge of military modernization, welcomed the announcement, saying he hoped that it would spark similar pledges from other countries.
"We are up against a common enemy there," Mattis said during a trip to Warsaw. "I am heartened by Germany's decision and I hope ... there will be more actions like that."
German parliamentary mandates control how many troops are allowed to serve on missions abroad and where. It was not immediately clear when parliament would take up the proposed troop increase.
In February, Germany also committed to sending 200 troops to serve as a quick- reaction force in response to a request from NATO.
NATO's force in Afghanistan is about 43,000-strong, but commanders have asked for more combat troops, particularly for the country's south, where the insurgency is the most active.
Troops from Canada, Britain, the Netherlands and the United States have done the majority of the fighting against Taliban militants. France, Spain, Germany and Italy are stationed in more peaceful parts of the country.
Canada has about 2,500 troops involved in the Afghan mission as part of ISAF.
About 13,000 U.S. troops operate in a separate U.S.-led coalition.
More than 8,000 people were killed in attacks last year in Afghanistan, making it the most violent year since the 2001 invasion.
