https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-56476995 US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin has made an unannounced visit to Afghanistan, weeks before a planned withdrawal of all remaining US troops. After meeting President Ashraf Ghani in Kabul, he called for a responsible end to the war but would not say whether the deadline would be met. Mr Austin said the focus should be on reducing high levels of violence to allow a negotiated end to the conflict. The pullout was agreed with the Taliban by the Trump administration last year.