Secretary of State Blinken makes surprise trip to Afghanistan following withdrawal announcement

Washington — Secretary of State Antony Blinken made an unannounced trip to Afghanistan on Thursday in an effort to demonstrate the United States' commitment to the country after President Biden said American troops would be leaving by September 11.

During his visit, Blinken met with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani at the presidential palace and chief executive Abdullah Abdullah, as well as civic leaders at the U.S. embassy in Kabul. "I wanted to demonstrate with my visit the ongoing commitment of the United States to the Islamic Republic and the people of Afghanistan," he told Ghani. "The partnership is changing, but the partnership is enduring."