New US defence head Chuck Hagel has arrived in Afghanistan on an unannounced visit nine days after he was sworn into office.  Hagel arrived in Kabul on Friday as the US-led military coalition prepares to pull out by the end of next year and leave Afghan security forces to battle the Taliban insurgency that has raged across the south and east of the country. A total of 100,000 international troops are deployed in Afghanistan, with all combat forces due to exit by the end of 2014. US President Barack Obama last month said 34,000 US troops would withdraw in the next year, halving the size of the 66,000-strong US force. Afghan forces are assuming control of security across the country, but there are widespread fears they will be unable to face down the Taliban.

During his visit to Kabul, Hagel will meet President Hamid Karzai, the US-backed leader with an often rocky relationship with Washington since he came to power after the fall of Taliban in 2001. Karzai will step down next year before elections and the US is keen to ensure a fair poll that brings in a stable government as international operations wind down.