London  - British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said Friday that he has asked fellow NATO members and other countries to provide up to 5,000 extra troops for deployment in Afghanistan.

In an interview with the BBC Brown said he was now lobbying some of the 43 nations which are part of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan to make "their own fresh push."

Britain, which already has just over 9,000 troops in southern Afghanistan, has pledged to send a further 500 to help train up the Afghan army and the police.

But London has made the top-up dependant on similar moves being taken by other NATO members.

"I have taken the responsibility of asking others in Europe, and outside Europe actually, if they will back this strategy which is partnering the Afghan forces, mentoring the Afghan forces," Brown said.

"We need our other NATO allies to help. I am asking them to help. I think we can probably get another 5,000 forces into Afghanistan from that NATO and outside Nato group and Britain will be part of that."

His comments came a day after Brown held talks with NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen in London during which Afghanistan was top of the agenda. (dpa)