NATO asks Germany for Afghan aerial surveillance

BERLIN, Dec 20 (Reuters) NATO has asked Germany to help with aerial surveillance in Afghanistan to improve the alliance's intelligence gathering capabilities, a German defence ministry spokesman said today.

The government received the request from General John Reith, NATO's deputy supreme allied commander for Europe, defence ministry spokesman Thomas Raabe told a news conference.

Raabe said Germany was considering the request and added that it would be possible using Tornado reconnaissance jets.

Germany has about 3,000 troops in Afghanistan mostly stationed in Kabul and around the relatively stable northern part of the country.

Berlin has resisted pressure from NATO allies, especially the United States and Britain, to redeploy some troops to the more volatile southern Afghanistan. Attacks on coalition troops by Taliban forces have been on the rise in the south.

Raabe said German aerial surveillance could be extended outside northern Afghanistan.

''This is a request for a capacity that could be deployed in other parts (of Afghanistan),'' he said.

The crews and maintenance for six Tornados would require about 250 additional troops.

A U S-led coalition of several other NATO members invaded Afghanistan after the Taliban leadership refused to hand over al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden, the architect of September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States.

Reuters SY DB2249