Pentagon’s acting chief arrives in Afghanistan

KABUL: The acting Pentagon Chief Patrick Shanahan arrived in Afghanistan on an unannounced visit on Monday as the United States leads a push for peace talks with the Taliban.

Shanahan will meet President Ashraf Ghani, who warned against rushing into a deal after Washington held major talks with the Taliban officials in Qatar last month that negotiators hope could herald a breakthrough in the grinding 17-yearconflict. Shanahan told reporters earlier that he had no instructions from Washington to begin a withdrawal, "I have not been directed to step down our forces in Afghanistan," Shanahan said.

"I think the presence we want in Afghanistan is what assures our homeland defence and supports regional stability."He said it is crucial Kabul, whose representatives were not at the talks in Qatar, is involved in discussions over the future of Afghanistan. "The Afghans have to decide what Afghanistan looks like in the future.”