US Defense Secretary Robert Gates says the Pentagon will pledge three more combat brigades to Afghanistan by next summer.

Gates made the remark during a surprise visit to a NATO military base in the southern Afghan city of Kandahar on Thursday.

Gates said he would not have to cut troop levels in Iraq to free up brigades for Afghan duty. He said he was working to meet a request for more forces by commanders.

One extra US combat brigade of roughly 3,500 troops is already due to deploy south of Kabul in January.

More than 30-thousand US troops have been deployed in post-Taliban Afghanistan, fighting against militant activities and helping with reconstruction.

(CCTV December 12, 2008)