US to boost military presence in Afghanistan by 1,800 :

WASHINGTON: The US military presence in Afghanistan will grow by a maximum of 1,800 troops by the end of January, foreign media has calculated, based on figures provided by the Pentagon Monday.

A Marine Air-Ground Task Force of "up to approximately 2,000 Marines" will be deployed in November, a Department of Defense statement said. Meanwhile, Marines sent in April -- up to 3,900, according to the Pentagon -- are finishing their deployment in November and leaving Afghanistan.

That means the total US contingent of some 33,000 soldiers -- according to the latest Pentagon figures -- will shrink slightly before it grows with the arrival of reinforcements in early 2009. In January, a US army combat brigade of some 3,700 soldiers, originally destined for Iraq, will be sent to Afghanistan to serve under the command of NATO's International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), according to the DoD statement. In total, 5,700 US soldiers will be sent to Afghanistan and 3,900 will be withdrawn -- a net increase of 1,800, bringing the total US presence close to 35,000.