The commander of NATO-led forces in Afghanistan says the alliance is sending thousands of extra troops to the war-torn country.

During a visit to the southern Afghan city of Kandahar Friday, General David Richards said NATO is committed to the mission in Afghanistan.

He said the U.S. would provide part of the increase by extending the tour of more than 3,000 American troops by four months.  General Richards did not specify which other NATO members would be sending additional forces.

Meanwhile, NATO says it has killed a senior Taleban leader and his deputies in an airstrike along Afghanistan's southern border with Pakistan.  The alliance did not identify the suspected Taleban members killed in the attack.

Last month, in the same province, a U.S. airstrike killed the Taleban's chief of military operations, who was also a close associate of al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.