The new expansion will see International Security Assistance Force peacekeepers increase from 6,500 to 8,000 soldiers in the country and push their reach into nine provinces, stretching some 530 kilometres across the north from Faizabad to Meymaneh.

Another 2,000 troops will be on stand-by to enter the country if required, force spokesman Commander Chris Henderson said.

Speaking in Kabul following the summit meeting of NATO leaders in Istanbul which ended Tuesday, Henderson said up to 1,000 extra soldiers would be providing security for elections and another 500 would be stationed at five provincial reconstruction teams stationed in the north.

The teams, which combined small numbers of soldiers with civilian experts, provide security, assist reconstruction and are aimed at extending the reach of the central government into the provinces.

British troops will be deployed to teams in the main northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif and northwestern Meymaneh, Germans will take over one in northeast Faizabad and Dutch soldiers in northeast Baghlan, Henderson said.

The alliance already has one team in northeast Kunduz run by German soldiers.

"In addition, there will be a British-run forward support base also in Mazar-i-Sharif and temporary satellite PRT (provincial reconstruction team) operations in Sari Pul, Samangan, and Sherbergan," Henderson said.

The 2,000 troops who would only be deployed to Afghanistan if needed would consist of "up to two battalions and a brigade headquarters which will be on high readiness if required," Henderson said.

While the north is seen as relatively quiet, it is largely controlled by regional warlords who often engage in factional fighting.

There are some 6,500 NATO-led peacekeepers in Afghanistan, primarily stationed in Kabul, while more than 20,000 US-led coalition troops are hunting Al-Qaeda, Taliban and other militants mainly in the south.