Italy has offered 1,000 extra troops for Afghanistan next year, with the US saying it shows the "firm resolve" of NATO partners for its new surge strategy.
Italy's contribution will be spread out throughout the year and bring its troop strength to 3,800, making it one of the largest contingents in NATO's International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).
"The United States welcomes Italy's announcement that it will significantly increase its troop contributions in Afghanistan," said National Security Council spokesman Mike Hammer.
"Italy's new commitment demonstrates the firm resolve of NATO allies and ISAF partners to succeed in our shared Afghan mission."
US President Barack Obama has consulted with Italy's Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and President Giorgio Napolitano as well as other NATO and ISAF leaders over the past several months, "and we look forward to continuing this close co-operation," Hammer said.
Earlier, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton predicted before heading to Brussels for a meeting of the western alliance that NATO allies would make a number of announcements over the coming days on extra troops.
"The response (from allies) has been positive. We feel good about this," Clinton said.
More than 20 of the 43 nations involved in ISAF have signalled they would increase their contribution to the force, following Obama's announcement on Tuesday that he would surge 30,000 troops into Afghanistan within six months.
The president also called on US allies to do more in the eight-year war, saying they too were threatened by terror networks emanating from Afghanistan.
Albania has offered 85 more soldiers and Poland suggested it could send 600 more.
Germany extended for one year the mandate of its 4,300-strong contingent, the third largest in Afghanistan after the United States and Britain, but did not increase its numbers.
Germany and France have both said they will wait until a London conference on Afghanistan on January 28 to decide on further action.
Source: news.smh.com.au/
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