(CNN)US Secretary of Defense James Mattis made an unexpected trip to Afghanistan Friday, his visit coming as the US tries to make headway in the country after 17 years of war.
Mattis touched down in the country Friday morning and is scheduled to meet with Army Gen. Scott Miller, the new Commander of Resolute Support and US Forces-Afghanistan, who assumed the role last week.
Earlier this week, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo named veteran diplomat Zalmay Khalilzad as a newly-named State Department special envoy to Afghanistan.
