Afghanistan's Defense Minister General Abdul Rahim Wardak is leaving for Brussels to discuss the issue of NATO troops' deployment in the insurgency-hit southern provinces, Defense Ministry spokesman said Saturday.

"Our Defense Minister is leaving for Brussels today to exchange views over the stationing of NATO troops in Helmand, Uruzgan and Zabul provinces," Zahir Azimi told journalists.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization has decided to enhance its present strength from some 9,000 troops to 15,000 this year and arriving advanced contingent has already begun.

As a key member of NATO, and the key ally of the United States in war on Taliban and al-Qaida in the region, the United Kingdom has already begun deploying its troops to the volatile southern region as 150 troopers stationed in Helmand weeks ago.

Britain has decided to send some 4,150 troops to the post- Taliban nation while it already has some 1,500 soldiers in the country.

The Dutch parliament also approved dispatching 1,400 more forces to Afghanistan early this year.

Other allies of the United States including Australia, Canada and Denmark would also boost the number of their troops in the country.

"Troops from Britain, Australia, the Netherlands and Romania will be deployed in Uruzgan, Zabul and Helmand provinces," Azimi disclosed.

The deployment is taking place amid increasing insurgency in the mountainous above provinces and Kandahar the birthplace of Taliban where hundreds of anti-government militants are said to have holed up.

Taliban-led militancy has claimed the lives of some 100 people including seven American and two Canadian soldiers since the beginning of this year.

Source: Xinhua