BRUSSELS, Belgium  — President Bush will ask Congress for $10.6 billion to help Afghanistan strengthen its security forces and rebuild from years of war, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Thursday.

The money would be on top of $14.2 billion in aid the United States has already given to Afghanistan since the U.S.-led invasion in 2001 that toppled the repressive Taliban.

The request, which Bush will make formally next month, comes after a year in which Taliban forces launched surprisingly fierce attacks across the country. U.S. and NATO forces in the country are bracing for a renewed offensive by Taliban fighters in the spring.

“The challenges of the last several months have demonstrated that we want to and we should redouble our efforts,” Rice told reporters flying with her to Brussels for NATO meetings on Afghanistan.

Rice said that of the total, $8.6 billion would be for training and equipping Afghan police and security forces, and $2 billion would be for reconstruction. The money would be spent over the next two years.

Earlier Thursday, that White House said Bush would ask for more than $8 billion.