New Zealand mulls Afghan special forces plan: PM

New Zealand is considering recommitting special forces to the escalating war against the Taliban in Afghanistan, Prime Minister John Key said Monday.

New Zealand Special Air Service (SAS) troops have been deployed three times in Afghanistan, the last time in 2006, and other Western countries have increased their military commitment as fighting escalates.

Key told Television New Zealand that a review of New Zealand's commitment in Afghanistan -- currently 140 personnel doing reconstruction work in Bamiyan province -- is likely to be completed in August.

Any decision on whether to employ the SAS troops was "delicate," he said.

"On one hand I don't want to put New Zealand troops in the form of the SAS in harm's way," he said. But on the other hand New Zealand had a role to play in fighting against terrorism around the world, he added.

"One of the questions we have to ask ourselves is if we deployed the SAS could we help this global effort to stabilise Afghanistan so we could exit."

New Zealand wanted to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan in the longer term but the United States, Australia and Britain have increased their commitment to the troubled country.

"(There is pressure to) up our commitment to stabilise Afghanistan so we can all get out -- that's something we are considering," Key said.

New Zealand's initial deployment to Afghanistan was made in 2003 and the reconstruction team has been committed until September next year.