British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has confirmed that the United Kingdom is to send an extra 500 troops to Afghanistan.

Predictions that the British military presence would be increased from its current 9000 troops to 9,500 surfaced last month but had never been officially acknowledged.

The international community is now awaiting a speech from United States President Barack Obama, to be delivered on Tuesday evening at the US military academy of West Point. During this speech, he will explain the future US policy for Afghanistan.

He is expected to announce that the US will prepare a timetable for the ending of its military presence in the country. He is also expected to say that before that happens, an estimated 35,000 extra troops will be sent to Afghanistan.

On Monday, Mr Obama contacted his Russian and French counterparts, Dmitry Medvedev and Nicolas Sarkozy, as well as Mr Brown, to keep them fully apprised of his plans.

Photo of Prime Minister Gordon Brown by EPA