The outgoing US Defense Secretary, Chuck Hagel, has arrived in Kabul in an unannounced visit early Saturday and met the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) General Commander in Afghanistan Gen. John F. Campbell.

Hagel, who resigned Nov. 24, will meet new President Ashraf Ghani and Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah in what is likely to be his last visit as Pentagon chief.

Following defense secretary's resignation, the U.S. President Barack Obama announced Friday that he will nominate Hagel's former deputy, Ashton Carter, as the new Pentagon chief.

In an interview with reporters traveling with him from Washington aboard a military aircraft, Hagel was in a reflective mood about America's longest war.

He said it should not be surprising that the Taliban are still able to launch significant attacks in Kabul.

"The Taliban are going to continue to have pockets of resurgence, and it's predictable that they would do everything they possibly could to disrupt" Hagel was quoted by Associated Press as saying to reporters.

The fourth and possibly last visit of outgoing U.S. defense secretary comes as bombings and armed attacks—mostly on foreign nationals—have recently increased in the capital Kabul with most of the attacks claimed by the Taliban.

LINK: https://www.ansarpress.com/english/3078

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