Australia is to send an additional 450 troops to Afghanistan because of what Prime Minister Kevin Rudd called the deteriorating¹ security situation there.

澳大利亚将向阿富汗派遣一支450人的队伍，因为其首相Kevin Rudd称安全局势有所恶化。

More than 1,000 Australian troops are already in Afghanistan

The announcement is also a response to diplomatic pressure from US President Barack Obama for America's allies to increase their contribution.

The troops will be used to help train the Afghan army and provide security for August's presidential election.

About 1,100 Australian troops are already in Afghanistan.

Australia is the biggest contributor to the US-led coalition²（组合，合并） outside of Nato.

Ten dead

Mr Rudd said it was clear that the current military and civilian³ strategy in Afghanistan was not working.

"If anything, security in Afghanistan is deteriorating（恶化）," he told reporters.

"To reduce the threat of terrorist attacks on Australian citizens in the future, the Australian government has decided⁴ to increase our defence force commitment in Afghanistan."

About 100 additional troops will help train the Afghan army in Oruzghan Province, where the Australians are based.

Another 120 troops will take part in an eight-month mission to enhance security around the election.

It is the first time Mr Rudd has committed himself to boosting troop numbers in Afghanistan since he took office in 2007, the BBC's Nick Bryant reports from Canberra.

Ten Australian soldiers have died in Afghanistan since 2001, and the PM predicted that it was going to progressively become an increasingly unpopular war.

Previously⁵ he had said there would be no increased Australian troop presence unless European members of Nato committed additional forces.