Hoon: No plans to quit Afghanistan

Plans to bring British troops home from Afghanistan were in disarray today after Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon admitted he had no idea when the pullout could go ahead.

Tony Blair has said the 1,600 peacekeeping troops will be out by March. The date was put back to June after Turkey dragged its heels before agreeing to take over the leadership of the International Security and Assistance Force (Isaf).

Last week the Turks finally signed up, but today Mr Hoon revealed fresh doubts over the arrangements and timing.

Asked whether there would be a delay beyond June, he said: "I hope not, but we are dealing with an evolving situation. From Turkey's point of view, they want to be sure that ... they understand precisely the nature and scope of the mission." The admission follows Tory warnings about the possibility of "mission creep", with Britain facing growing difficulty in extracting itself from Kabul.

That could further stretch the UK, with troops already heavily committed around the world including peacekeeping missions in the Balkans.

Mr Hoon today denied the armed forces were overstretched, but said: "Certainly we are at the limits of our commitments." The extension of Isaf 's stay means Britain will be fighting two very different battles in Afghanistan. In Kabul, troops are trying to keep the peace, but in the mountains a fighting force of Royal Marines is hunting down Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda.

Taliban supporters could take out their resentment on the peacekeepers, who make an easier target. Mr Hoon acknowledged the problem, saying: "It is important that there is a clear distinction between offensive operations and peacekeepers."