British Prime Minister David Cameron said on Friday that he wants British troops to be withdrawn from Afghanistan within five years.

Answering the question over whether British troops would be home by the next general election, Cameron who is in Canada for G8 summit said: "I want that to happen."

"We cannot be there for another five years having effectively been there for nine years already," he added. "But Britain should have a long-term relationship with Afghanistan, including helping to train and support their troops and the government long after the vast bulk of (our) troops have gone."

June has been a particularly bloody month for British troops in Afghanistan, with the total number of fatalities reaching 18, the worst since last August.