Germany is to send 120 additional troops to Afghanistan shortly after Britain makes an urgent plea for a substantial troops surge in the war-wrecked country.

German Defense Minister, Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg announced the planned surge on Friday, the US broadcaster Bloomberg reported on its website. The increase would take the total number of the German contingent to 4,365 -- just below the 4,500 troop level cap set by the country's parliament.

Also on Friday, referring to the US-led allies, UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown said, "I am asking them to help. I think we could probably get another 5,000 forces into Afghanistan."

Less than 110,000 troops currently operate in Afghanistan under the US command. The violence, however, has reached its highest level in more than eight years of the US-led counterinsurgency operations there.

The German troops are to be assigned to the contingent in the northern Afghan province of Kunduz, which alongside Baghlan and Samangan have witnessed an unprecedented surge in militant activity.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai in October said he had ordered an investigation into unconfirmed reports that British helicopters had been taking the Taliban militants to the northern areas.

HN/MMN