US Defense Secretary James Mattis made an unannounced visit to Kabul today with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. The visit marks Mattis’ first trip to the country since US President Donald Trump announced a new Afghan strategy in late August. In the coming hours, Mattis is expected to meet with the Commander of US Forces in Afghanistan Gen. John Nicholson and spend time with US troops. He is also set to hold talks with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and other Afghan government ministers. Later, he’ll hold a press conference with Ghani and the NATO chief. Last week, Ghani used a substantial part of his speech at the United Nations General Assembly to praise Trump’s recently announced strategy for Afghanistan and South Asia. “With President Trump’s recent announcement of his strategy to counter terror and stabilize South Asia, Afghanistan’s enduring partnership with the United States and the international community has been renewed and redirected,” Ghani told the audience at the UN headquarters in New York.
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