By Crispin Thorold BBC, Kabul

The United Nations Security Council has announced it will send a mission to Afghanistan to investigate ways to strengthen peace-keeping operations in the country.

Nato is in charge of security in the Afghan capital

In recent months there has been a marked increase in the number of attacks by Taleban fighters.

The UN mission will observe the international peace keeping force, Isaf, which is led by Nato and only operates in the capital, Kabul.

For months the Afghan administration has been calling on the international community to expand the peacekeeping force and extend its brief.

Nearly two years after the fall of the Taleban regime there are almost daily attacks by remnants of the group.

Over 300 people have been killed since the beginning of August.

The UN mission is due to arrive in Afghanistan at the end of October.

Earlier a Nato spokesman told the BBC that there was a willingness within the organisation to expand operations beyond Kabul, subject to further military advice.

A number of options are being considered, including the creation of so called islands of security in several of Afghanistan's provincial towns.