British and other Nato troops in Afghanistan must expect to continue fighting the Taleban throughout the harsh winter months, General David Petraeus, the former top American commander in Iraq, said yesterday.

He called for Nato to send more troops to Afghanistan to take on the resurgent Taleban, although he praised Britain for doubling its military presence in the south.

General Petraeus, who won huge respect from British commanders for his achievements in Iraq during his long tour as the head of the Multinational Corps, spoke of his concerns about the campaign in Afghanistan after visiting Gordon Brown in Downing Street.

General Petraeus is taking over next month as commander of US Central Command, with responsibility for both Iraq and Afghanistan.

Although traditionally the fighting season in Afghanistan tends to be at its height in spring and summer, General Petraeus said that commanders of Nato's International Security Assistance Force were determined to carry on fighting throughout the winter.

“We think we will see a continuation of fighting even through the winter season and perhaps it will be more than we have seen in the past,” he said.

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