BRUSSELS, March 26 (Reuters) - The United States urged European countries on Monday to provide more troops for Afghanistan and to free them up for combat, as well as to provide further aid to the war-shattered country.

Nicholas Burns, U.S. undersecretary of state, said Washington was grateful to European countries such as Britain, Estonia, Romania and the Netherlands which have troops operating in combat zones in Afghanistan.

"There is a need for a greater number of troops from Europe, for a greater degree of flexibility in how those troops are allowed to operate," Burns told reporters in Brussels.

"The caveats, that limit the tactical deployments of troops inside the country, in our view should be lifted. All states should lift them and there should be additional economic and humanitarian aid," he said.

The United States provides about 27,000 of the 45,000 foreign troops in Afghanistan.

Some European countries have resisted previous U.S. calls for their troops to be deployed in southern Afghanistan, the heartland of the Taliban insurgents, where the heaviest fighting has taken place.

Last year saw the worst violence in Afghanistan since U.S.-led forces ousted the Taliban from power in late 2001. More than 4,000 people died in fighting in 2006, including about 1,000 civilians.

Fighting is expected to be heavy in 2007. The Taliban have said they have prepared thousands of suicide bombers.

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