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US Defense Secretary makes surprise visit to Afghanistan

18 December 2015 11:00 (UTC +04:00)

Carter's visit comes as Afghanistan faces serious security setbacks, with the Taliban staging more attacks and inflicting more casualties on Afghan forces in the last year compared to previously, Reuters reported.

In a report to the U.S. Congress released this week, the Pentagon painted a grim picture of the security situation in Afghanistan, finding that from the beginning of the year to mid-November, there were 27 percent more high-profile attacks in the capital city of Kabul compared with the same period last year.

Afghan national defense and security forces also had 27 percent more casualties from the start of 2015 up to mid-November compared with the same period last year, the Pentagon report found.

President Barack Obama reversed his policy on Afghanistan in mid-October, saying he would prolong the U.S. military engagement by maintaining a force of 9,800 through most of 2016.The U.S. troops have dual missions of training and advising Afghan security forces and conducting counter-terrorism operations.