Afghan fight tough - Gates

AFGHANISTAN: Defe nce Secretary Robert Gates Wednesday heard a frank assessment of the "tough" fight facing US forces in eastern Afghanistan but insisted American troops are making headway.

In a visit to Afghanistan ahead of a White House review of war strategy, Gates met with troops engaged in intense combat in the east and acknowledged the problem of insurgents exploiting sanctuaries over the border with Pakistan.

"I think these guys being close to the border face some special challenges and have taken some serious losses," Gates said after meeting members of the 101st Airborne Division at Forward Operating Base Connolly, near the frontier.

The insurgency's reliance on havens across the mountainous border has proved a persistent frustration for US-led forces in the nine-year-old war, raising questions over Pakistan's role and prospects for weakening the militants.

Troops at the US post in Nangarhar province have been mourning the loss of six of their fellow soldiers who were killed last week by an Afghan policeman who attacked the Americans during a training session. It was the deadliest assault of its kind by insurgents who have tried to infiltrate Afghan forces, seeking to undermine a key pillar of the US war effort.

In emotional remarks to troops, Gates expressed sympathy for the losses but told the young soldiers they were engaged in a vital struggle. "I know you all have had a rough go of it," Gates said, but the sacrifices were "worth it".

"What you're doing is incredibly important," he said. At another outpost in Kunar province, reporters heard a young officer brief Gates about an array of difficulties facing US forces in the restive area, listing factors working in favor of the insurgents - including poverty, corruption and a local tradition of suspicion towards outsiders.

AFP