Gordon Brown today paid a surprise pre-Christmas visit to British troops in Afghanistan, hours before it emerged that a key Taleban stronghold was on the point of falling.

The Prime Minister arrived shortly after 7am at Camp Bastion, a British base in Helmland province around 60 miles from Musa Qala - the frontline where approximately 3,000 British troops are fighting the Taleban insurgents.

Nato and Afghan forces were today reporting successes in their efforts to retake the only major Taleban stronghold remaining in the country. As Mr Brown prepared for a Kabul press conference this morning, media reports began to emerge suggesting that coalition troops were close to taking control of the town. However a spokesman for the Nato-led force cautioned that although troops had entered the town centre, an announcement of victory would be premature.

The Prime Minister arrived by RAF Hercules on the second leg of his pre-Christmas tour, after visiting British troops in the southern Iraqi town of Basra on Sunday.

Mr Brown paid tribute to the troops' courage and bravery, and thanked them for their public service over Christmas.

This is believed to be the closest a serving Prime Minister has come to the theatre of battle since Tony Blair during the Kosovo war.

Mr Brown will also travel to Kabul this morning, where he is expected to meet Hamid Karzai, the Afghan President, and hold a joint press conference.

Mr Brown is expected to put forward his own strategy for the future of the troubled country. Yesterday Des Browne, the Defence Secretary who is also in Afghanistan, called for a greater international commitment to troops in the country.

Addressing 300 troops, and flanked by the Defence Secretary, Mr Brown said: "This is one of the most challenging of environments, one of the most difficult of tasks, the most testing of times, and one of the most important of missions, because to win here, and defeat the Taleban, and make sure we can give strength to the new democracy in Afghanistan, is important for defeating terrorism around the world.

"I know that we can win in Musa Qala. Some of you here - and many of you not here but up there - have been doing a very important job in clearing the Taleban.

"I know the work you are doing today and over the next few days is important to the whole mission in Afghanistan. I believe, if we can succeed there, which we will, and we can work with the Afghan forces, then we can move forward to a more peaceful future for this country."

Around 2,500 troops are based in Camp Bastion, with hundreds flying the 30 minute journey to the frontline in Musa Qala. The base also hosts the regional hospital, and has received casualties from the battle over the last few days, although officials would not say how many.

A senior government official said that so far the operation in Musa Qala was going to plan. He said: "There has already been movement by the Taleban, mostly in the south-east and southe-west of the town, where Isaf and Afghan forces have been taking on the Taleban."

Lieutenant Andy McLaughlin of 40 Commando said that they estimated there were between 1,000 and 2,000 Taleban in Musa Qala. He said that the role of British forces was to "deal with" the Taleban who were leaving the town after a pincer movement by other members of the coalition.

Some of the Taleban were believed to be using children as human shields, making the operation much harder.

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