UK's Brown warns of more losses in Afghanistan

By Matt Falloon

L'AQUILA, Italy (Reuters) - British troops face a "very hard summer" in Afghanistan in the run up to presidential elections, Prime Minister Gordon Brown said on Friday, suggesting Britain should brace itself for more losses.

The Ministry of Defence announced on Friday three more deaths, taking the toll since Britain joined the U.S.-led invasion in 2001 to 179. That figure matches the lives Britain has lost during its campaign in Iraq that began in 2003.

Ten soldiers, including four officers, have been killed in the past 10 days alone.

Brown said there was no question of pulling soldiers out of Afghanistan until the international community had finished its mission there and quelled the threat from the Taliban.

"This is a very hard summer -- it's not over," Brown told reporters at the G8 summit in Italy. "But it's vital that the international community sees through its commitments."

"Our resolve to complete the work that we have started in Afghanistan is undiminished," he said. "We must help deliver a free and fair presidential election in Afghanistan."

Britain has boosted troop levels to around 9,000 from 8,100 to improve security ahead of and during Afghanistan's second presidential election, due to be held on Aug. 20.

More heavy losses in Afghanistan may damage public support for the deployment and further hurt the Labour government's already poor opinion poll ratings ahead of a British parliamentary election due by mid-2010.