Blair visits Afghanistan amid rising violence

KABUL, Nov 20: British Prime Minister Tony Blair flew to Afghanistan today, where Britain's 6,000 troops are on the frontline of a rising insurgency by a revitalised Taliban.

British officials would not release details of the long-planned trip because of security fears. Fighting in Afghanistan this year is the worst since US and British-led forces ousted the hardline Islamists exactly five years ago.

With the rise in fighting and a major redeployment to the Taliban's southern heartland, British casualty rates in Afghanistan are now much higher than in Iraq.

REUTERS