France to allow troop redeployment in Afghanistan

KABUL, Dec 18 (Reuters) France, which is pulling its special forces soldiers out of Afghanistan, today said it would temporarily redeploy its remaining troops anywhere in the country for emergencies.

The United States, Canada and Britain, whose troops have borne the brunt of fighting in the bloodiest year since the Taliban's ouster in 2001, have pressed their allies to lift limits on their forces to allow more flexibility in combating a resurgent Taliban.

''We also foresee that our forces currently stationed in Kabul will be relocated to other regions according to the needs of our allies, to help in those situations where their presence will be necessary,'' French Defence Ministry Michele Alliot-Marie said during a visit to Kabul.

But she added any such deployment would be temporary.

NATO leaders agreed last month to redeploy their forces anywhere in the country in an emergency after complaints that some, including France, were largely avoiding the more dangerous areas.

Some NATO members had imposed restrictions barring their soldiers fighting in the snow or at night.

Alliot-Marie announced on Sunday that France was pulling out its 200 special forces based in Jalalabad near the Pakistan border under the US-led coalition from next month.

It has another 1,100 troops in and around Kabul, many operating a military hospital, under a separate NATO command.

Ten French troops have been killed since the conflict in Afghanistan started in October 2001.

About 4,000 people have been killed in fighting this year, mainly in the Taliban's southern heartland.

NATO commanders on the ground and political leaders from nations on the frontline have have urged other countries to lift restrictions on where, when and how their soldiers can fight.

Commanders say they need more flexibility to quickly reinforce when fighting gets heavy.

REUTERS LL VV1602