The number of UK troops in Afghanistan will increase by nearly 5,000, the Defence Secretary John Reid has said. The £1 billion deployment will push the total number of troops there by July to a peak of 5,700, he told the Commons. Mr Reid said the “potent force”, which will include attack helicopters, would be there to “protect and deter”. The majority will be sent to the south, to the volatile Helmand area, which Mr Reid acknowledged was a “more demanding area” than others in Afghanistan. Full Story