Up to 4,000 British troops are to be deployed in Afghanistan to fight terrorists and drug barons, John Reid said today on his first visit to the volatile country.

He outlined plans to send soldiers into the Helmand region to bolster efforts against al-Qaeda-linked fighters and take on the powerful warlords behind the world’s largest heroin market.

Dr Reid said the "sizeable" force would be in addition to the current level of 900 troops and will be separate to Britain’s commitment to assume control of Nato’s Allied Rapid Reaction Corp in the country next May

Speaking in Kabul Dr Reid, who is due to hold talks with President Hamid Karzai and defence minister General Abdul Rahim Wardak to offer the increased British assistance, said he hoped to meet key objectives in Afghanistan over the next year.

He said: "One of the them is to develop ISAF’s presence in the south of Afghanistan, to supplement and extend the presence in the north and the west.

"But if we are going to do that I want to make sure it is of sufficient size to accomplish the task. It would be a sufficient number of soldiers, but would also need a degree of mobility."

He said the troops would be charged with counter-terrorism, counter-narcotics and counter-insurgency work.

The southern provinces currently account for the majority of the country’s heroin production - with Helmand responsible for half of all opium yields.

Officials admit those areas are currently beyond most control of authorities in Kabul and suspect the region may harbour al Qaeda-linked terrorists.

The US - which is currently deployed in the south - has lost 51 soldiers this year, making it the bloodiest 12 months since the fall of the Taliban.

Mr Reid admitted that a drive into Helmand could result in British fatalities, but said he believes he has the public will on his side.

"I think the British public understand the reasons why we are in Afghanistan is directly as a result of the threat of terrorism which resulted in thousands of American and a significant number of British deaths in New York," he said.

"The reason the terrorists were able to carry that out was because they had an empty state as a nation here in Afghanistan which the extremist Taliban infiltrated and took over.

"While we are in Afghanistan we are defending people in Britain, the US and the rest of the world by denying terrorists a base from which to plan their operations.

"It is not a matter of casualties, but a matter of trying to avoid innocent casualties of terrorism."

Mr Reid said other nations are considering plans to lead forces into Helmand’s neighbouring provinces and confirmed an announcement is likely to be made following the recall of Parliament.

He also denied any new push in Afghanistan would put a strain on resources focused on countering the increasing degree of resistance in Iraq.

"Whatever I need for Afghanistan is independent of the need to draw down on forces in Iraq. We will continue what we are doing in Iraq, until we achieve what we set out to achieve," said Mr Reid.

Mr Reid earlier toured Kabul’s downtown district in an open top Land Rover with the Kabul Patrol Company - made up of 2nd Battalion The Royal Gurkha Rifles and the newly arrived Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Royal Light Infantry.

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