Tillerson visits Afghanistan as US ramps up campaign against militants

US secretary of state Rex Tillerson made an unannounced visit to Afghanistan on Monday, hoping to cement Donald Trump’s new strategy and ramp up the political and military pressure in the 16-year-old war, especially on Pakistan where he will head next.

Mr Tillerson's visit comes almost exactly two months after Mr Trump announced plans to increase the US troop presence and put more pressure on Pakistan to rein in the Taliban. He met for about an hour with Afghan president Ashraf Ghani and chief executive Abdulah Abdullah at the Bagram air base outside Kabul.

“The secretary stated that the new US strategy for South Asia makes clear the United States’ commitment to working with the government of Afghanistan and with partners across the region to achieve peace in Afghanistan and deny safe havens to terrorists who threaten that goal,” the US embassy said.

Read the full article in The National.