Kerry In Surprise Visit To Kabul

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry (file photo)

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry arrived in Afghanistan on October 11 in an attempt to advance negotiations with President Hamid Karzai on a bilateral security pact.

Kerry's unannounced visit comes just weeks before an October 31 deadline for an agreement that would determine the presence of U.S. forces in Afghanistan after 2014.

U.S. officials who were traveling with Kerry’s entourage said the visit was not about trying to close a deal on the Bilateral Security Agreement. Instead, they said it was about "building momentum" for the negotiators to reach a deal after 11 months of talks.

Earlier this week, Karzai alleged that the United States and NATO have caused undue suffering for the Afghan people.

Based on reporting by Reuters, AP, and AFP