Pentagon chief makes surprise visit to Afghanistan
US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter has arrived in Afghanistan on a surprise visit, according to American officials.
The American media reported that Carter’s Friday trip was aimed at assessing the worsening security situation in the war-torn country.
"(Carter) has landed" in Afghanistan, the Pentagon said in a brief statement on Friday.
The United States Embassy in Kabul also confirmed Carter’s arrival in the Afghan capital, but provided no further details on the purpose of his visit.
The US and its allies invaded Afghanistan on October 7, 2001 as part of Washington’s so-called war on terror. The offensive removed the Taliban regime from power, but after more than 14 years, the foreign troops have still not been able to establish security in the country.
In October, President Barack Obama announced plans to keep 9,800 US troops in Afghanistan through 2016 and 5,500 in 2017, reneging on his promise to end the war there and bring home most American forces from the Asian country before he leaves office.
According to US officials, Washington would also maintain a large counterterrorism capability of terror drones and Special Operations forces to fight militants in Afghanistan.
In an interview with Press TV earlier this year, an anti-war activist in Chicago said, the US military plans to remain in Afghanistan “indefinitely” and conduct military operations inside the country for “years to come”.
“The war [in Afghanistan] is not going to end in the imminent future,” said Rick Rozoff, a member of Stop NATO International. “Western military forces who have been in the country for over 13 years…are to be there for an indefinite period of time.”
“The effort to portray a complete withdrawal of military personnel and an end of armed hostilities in the country is largely politically driven because of the [US] presidential election next year,” Rozoff said.
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