US defense secretary visits Afghanistan

US Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel is greeted after arriving in Kabul on December 6, 2014. Outgoing Defense Secretary Hagel expressed confidence in the ability of Afghan forces to defend Kabul following a spike in Taliban strikes as he arrived in the Afghan capital on Saturday for his final trip to Afghanistan as Pentagon chief.[Photo/Agencies]

KABUL - US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel paid a surprise visit to Afghanistan on Saturday, local media reported.

Besides visiting US troops stationed in the country, the visiting defense secretary would hold talks with President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani during his stay in Afghanistan, exchanging views on matters regarding mutual interests such as the security situation in Afghanistan.

This could be Hagel's last visit to Afghanistan as defense secretary and the visit was made amid the withdrawal of NATO-led forces from the military-plagued country, which is going to be completed by the end of 2014.