Gordon Brown today warned of a “crucible of terrorism” on the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan during a surprise visit to Kabul.

The Prime Minister said tackling the lawless hinterland stretching from Afghanistan's southern border into Pakistan was essential for safeguarding Britain's streets.

Mr Brown gave the warning as he held talks with Afghan president Hamid Karzai in Kabul, where they discussed a new British strategy for the region.

Hundreds of millions of pounds in education and development aid are to be refocused on the remote north of Pakistan, where Taliban elements have been operating with impunity.

Mr Brown said 25 to 30 million people were living in a “breeding ground for terrorists” between the two countries. He said: “There is a crucible of terrorism in the mountainous border between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

“Our approach to these countries is different, but must be complementary. Our strategy for dealing with this breeding ground for terrorism will mean more security on the streets of Britain.”

Britain wants provinces to be handed over to government control one by one — in much the same way as has happened in Iraq. The strategy also calls for the Afghan army to be expanded from 75,000 to 135,000 by the end of 2011, alongside recruiting thousands more police.

Earlier, the Prime Minister visited frontline British troops in Helmand Province. He said: “There is a chain of terrorism that goes from here round to the streets of Britain.

“That's why it's absolutely important that while we have made progress on Afghan elections, democratic government, six million children in education, hospitals as well as roads and infrastructure for the people of Afghanistan, that we defeat international terrorism and hold it back from here in Lashkar Gar, here in Helmand province, but also on the other side of the border in Pakistan.”

Asked if the dire state of public finances meant the UK could no longer afford operations in Afghanistan on the current scale, the Prime Minister replied: “I think it is right that we support an exercise by more than 40 countries who maintain democracy in Afghanistan against the Taliban and against the possibility of al Qaeda.”

Taliban militants warned today that their peace deal with the Pakistani government was “worthless” after the army sent helicopters and artillery to pound the hide-outs of Islamist guerrillas along the Afghan border.

Paramilitary troops killed 20 suspected militants today, and a total of 46 have died since the operation began, an army statement said. The US has been pressing Islamabad for more robust action against extremists threatening stability. President Asif Ali Zardari today said Pakistani intelligence thought Osama bin Laden, who was recently offered sanctuary by militants in the area covered by the peace pact, might be dead but there was no evidence.

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