Spain approves extra troops for Afghanistan

MADRID (Reuters) - Spain has agreed to deploy 220 more troops to Afghanistan in response to U.S. calls for reinforcements to counter escalating insurgent violence, Spain's deputy prime minister said after a cabinet meeting on Friday.

The move will bring the number of Spanish troops there to about 1,000, not counting a contingent of 450 who went to boost security for elections held on August 20, Maria Teresa Fernandez de la Vega said.

U.S.-led forces in Afghanistan, where insurgent violence has reached its highest level since the Taliban was ousted from power in late 2001, are due to increase to about 110,000 by the end of the year from a current 103,000.

(Reporting by Itziar Paneda; Writing by Tracy Rucinski; Editing by Angus MacSwan)