Brown in Afghanistan as troops retake town

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown made a surprise visit to Afghanistan Monday as Afghan troops backed by Nato forces retook the southern town of Musa Qala, captured by Taliban rebels 10 months ago.
Brown arrived in Kabul after meeting British soldiers in the southern province of Helmand where thousands of Afghan and British Nato troops have since Friday been advancing on Musa Qala.
Nato's International Security Assistance Force told AFP the Afghan troops had entered the town at around 1000 GMT. A Taliban spokesman confirmed the rebel fighters had retreated.
"The ANA (Afghan National Army) have entered the district centre. They are in the centre of the town," Isaf spokesman Major Charles Anthony said in Kabul. He was not aware of ongoing fighting.
The Afghan defence ministry issued a statement saying Afghan troops backed by Isaf had started clean-up operations in Musa Qala district, of which the town is the centre.
The Taliban's chief spokesman, Yousuf Ahmadi, told AFP by telephone that Taliban fighters holed up in the town had "retreated" to avoid civilian casualties in any further fighting.
The Afghan defence ministry said earlier Monday that resistance had "crashed" in Musa Qala and the soldiers were one kilometre (half a mile) from the town.
Brown, on his first trip to Afghanistan as prime minister, was due to hold talks with President Hamid Karzai later Monday, Western officials said.
Earlier he met British troops at their base at Camp Bastion in Helmand.
In comments shown on BBC television, he praised their bravery and commitment in fighting Taliban militia in difficult circumstances.
"I thank every one of you for what you have done in what is the frontline against the Taliban because this is one of the most challenging of environments.
"It is one of the most difficult of tasks. It is the most testing of times. It is one of the most important of missions," he said.
"To win here and to defeat the Taliban and to make sure that we can give strength to the new democracy in Afghanistan is important in defeating terrorism all around the world," he said.
Brown, whose trip was unannounced for security reasons, arrived from Iraq where he said Britain would hand over Basra province to Iraqi control within two weeks.
He has already said the number of British troops in Iraq would be cut by more than half to 2,500 by early next year.
In Afghanistan however Britain is due to boost its more than 6,000 troops to about 7,700 by the end of the year.