U.S. vice president pays surprise visit to Afghanistan

KABUL, March 20 (Xinhua) -- Dick Cheney, vice president of the Untied States, paid a surprise visit to Afghanistan capital Kabul on Thursday to hold talks with Afghan President Hamid Karzai and visit troops stationed in the post-Taliban nation.

Cheney's tour to the war-torn nation is taking place amid continued militancy and widening differences among NATO member states over contributing more troops to fight insurgents in Afghanistan.

His talks with Afghan leaders, according to Afghan sources in Presidential Palace, would focus on the situation in Afghanistan and continued support of Washington to the post-conflict central Asian state.