New US Defense Secretary makes surprise visit to Afghanistan

On February 21, new US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter arrived in Kabul, Afghanistan, on an unannounced visit to discuss with Afghan officials the future presence of US troops in the country.

US soldiers stand guard at the scene of a bomb explosion in Kabul on January 5. (Source: AFP/ VNA)

Speaking to reporters on the plane before landing in Kabul, Secretary Carter stated that the reason for choosing to visit Afghanistan in the first week of his term was because there are still 10,000 US troops stationed there. Mr. Carter said he would meet with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and other leaders, as well as US diplomats and officials to assess the situation and ensure "long-term" success in the context of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan. Secretary Carter is expected to hold discussions with the Commander of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) forces in Afghanistan - General John Campbell and the Commander of the Central Command (CENTCOM), General Lloyd Austin.

Secretary Carter's visit comes as US President Barack Obama is considering a schedule to reduce US troops in Afghanistan. According to the plan, by the end of this year, the number of US troops in Afghanistan will be reduced from 10,000 to about 5,000 soldiers. By the end of 2016, the presence of US troops in Afghanistan will only be within the scope of protecting the US Embassy in Kabul. However, the Obama administration has adjusted the withdrawal schedule, allowing an additional 1,000 US troops to stay in Afghanistan this year.

Earlier, Afghan leaders and US lawmakers urged President Obama to consider slowing the withdrawal of US troops from the Southwest Asian country, warning that an early withdrawal could endanger the security situation and affect international aid./.

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According to VNA