Brown: Afghan war is sapping al Qaeda morale

British action in Afghanistan is inflicting "long lasting damage" to al Qaeda's leadership, Gordon Brown said today.

The Prime Minister used a speech to fend off pressure for a withdrawal by claiming the results of military efforts were just bearing fruit.

"Since January 2008 seven of the top dozen figures in al Qaeda have been killed, depleting its reserve of experienced leaders and sapping morale," Mr Brown was to say in his annual Guildhall foreign policy speech tonight.

"And our security forces report to me that there is now an opportunity to inflict significant and long lasting damage to al Qaeda."

Mr Brown will also confirm he is planning a Nato summit in London to put together an exit strategy for Afghanistan, including a timetable for handing over districts to local forces.

Hamid Karzai, the Afghan president, will be invited in January with senior military commanders, diplomats and foreign ministers from the US and other allies. The conference is hoped to have a galvanising effect on the war after a period of uncertainty, just as this year's G20 summit in London led to a united approach on the economy.

Mr Brown will also use the summit to increase pressure on Nato allies, particularly in Europe, to send more troops and military resources. In his speech tonight he will say: "I want that conference to chart a comprehensive political framework within which the military strategy can be accomplished." Mr Brown's plans suggest a withdrawal of British forces could begin in 2011, providing handovers go to plan.

He will say the allies have had success against al Qaeda. Mr Brown is to send 500 more troops to the region, taking the total to about 10,000.

A coffin carrying the body of Rifleman Samuel Bassett, 20, killed in Afghanistan, arrived at RAF Lyneham today.

He and Rifleman Philip Allen, also brought home, were victims of separate roadside bombs while patrolling in Helmand.

Rifleman Bassett was from Plymouth, and Rifleman Allen, 20, from Dorset.