(AFP) – Dec 3, 2007

KABUL (AFP) — US Defence Secretary Robert Gates said Tuesday he was pushing the world's countries for more commitment to Afghanistan's fight against growing extremist violence.

Gates was here on a surprise visit to assess the international fight against the Taliban and their allies in Al-Qaeda, whom US officials say appear to have stepped up their activities here.

"I feel like I am the salesman around the world for Afghanistan," Gates said during a visit to the Kabul Military Training Centre where army leaders told him they needed more mentors and equipment.

"I asked the Chinese, the Koreans, Japan for more help," he said, adding he was also pressing countries in the 38-nation NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) to "meet their promises".

Earlier Tuesday a Taliban suicide attacker detonated a car bomb near ISAF troops in the capital. None of the soldiers was hurt, but 22 civilians were wounded, ISAF said.

It was the latest in a series of attacks in and around Kabul in recent weeks.

There have been about 140 suicide blasts here this year, the bloodiest in an insurgency led by the Taliban after they were driven out of government in 2001 for harbouring Al-Qaeda after the 9/11 attacks.

Gates visited US soldiers in the eastern province of Khost and then held talks with President Hamid Karzai in the evening. Both men admitted afterwards that attacks were increasing.

The US defence secretary said he had been told by Afghan and ISAF officials that "an important reason for the increased violence is because there is a very much aggressive effort on the part of ISAF to go after the Taliban."

"Our enemy here is hardened and resilient, they will not go away easily and -- as we were reminded last week by Osama bin Laden's message to Europe -- our enemies are counting on us to lose our resolve," he said.

Karzai blamed the increase on "terrorist hideouts outside Afghanistan" and support in some countries for "terrorist elements and Al-Qaeda and professional murderers."

This was a likely reference to Pakistan, which helped the Taliban to power in 1996 before turning its back on the extremists after September 11 although militants have been able to build sanctuaries in the country's rugged tribal areas.

A top US defence official travelling with Gates said Monday there were "early indicators that there may be some stepped up activity by Al-Qaeda," but Karzai said he was not worried about Osama bin Laden's network.

"Al-Qaeda is on the run, it's defeated, it's hiding... all they can do is come in and blow a bomb. That's desperation, that's not success," he said.

The president said he was satisfied with international training and other support of the post-Taliban Afghan army but hoped his allies would expedite the delivery of air assets for the weak air force.

Afghanistan's army has been built to about 50,000 men, but officials say at least twice that is needed to secure the volatile country.

Army chief of staff Bismullah Khan told Gates at the training centre earlier that the Afghan forces could "do the job ourselves" but needed more advisors and mentors, and new weapons.

"In the war on terror we are on the frontline," he said.

Gates said progress in building the Afghan army was "quite impressive."

"We are continuing to work with you and help you," he told Afghan officials at the centre.

"We are also working very hard on the equipment side. We know there is an interest in small arms and mortars... We are also aware of the shortage of trainers," he said.

"It is imperative to all of us that you be successful."

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