US Secretary of Defence James Mattis made a surprise visit to the Afghan capital on Friday and in a meeting with President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani assured Washington's long-term support to Afghanistan.

US Secretary of Defence James Mattis arrived here on Friday on a surprise visit to meet Afghan President Ashraf Ghani at a time when Washington is trying to make headway in Kabul after 17 years of war.

The founder of the Haqqani militant network has died after several years of illness, the Afghan Taliban has announced.

Among the dozen or so guests US Ambassador Frank Wisner was escorting to Bhutan for a holiday was Richard Holbrooke, former US Ambassador to the UN. Wisner had invited a few Indian friends to the long hall of Roosevelt House to meet the group. The year was 1996. The ebb and flow of conversation was interrupted when Holbrooke raised his hand like a Japanese tour leader. "Silent," he whispered audibly. He walked to the far end of the hall to talk on the telephone.

Over 600 businessmen are expected to participate in the second annual "Passage to Prosperity: India-Afghanistan International Trade and Investment Show' in Mumbai from September 12-15, officials said here on Thursday.

At least one rocket struck Kabul on Tuesday, followed by several explosions, during an address to the nation by Afghan President Ashraf Ghani ahead of Eid al-Adha.

The US declared it is ready to support, facilitate and participate in direct negotiations between the Afghan government and the Taliban, on the occasion of the Afghan government's announcement on Sunday of a conditional three-month ceasefire with the Taliban.

Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani on Sunday announced a conditional three-month ceasefire with the Taliban starting on Monday. "As we approach Eid-ul-Adha... we announce a ceasefire that would take effect from Monday, the day of Arafa, till the day of the birth of the prophet (PBUH), Milad-un-Nabi, provided that the Taliban reciprocate," Ghani told a gathering celebrating the Independence Day, Xinhua reported. The Afghan leader also called on Taliban leadership to welcome the wishes of Afghans for a long lasting and real peace. "We urge the Taliban leadership to get ready for peace talks based on Islamic values and principles," Ghani said, adding that the Afghan government has removed "all obstacles for a long lasting peace through these unprecedented steps." However, the Taliban group, which has repeatedly rejected an offer for peace talks with the Afghan government, has yet to react to President Ghani's offer for ceasefire. In June, the Afghan government announced a 17-day ceasefire to encourage the Taliban group to support the national reconciliation process. Reciprocating the government step, the Taliban announced a three-day truce during Eid-ul-Fitr which marked end of fasting month.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani visited Ghazni city on Friday to assess the security situation following a Taliban offensive to capture the city last week.

The Pakistan Foreign Office has denied allegations that Pakistani citizens supported the Taliban attack on Afghanistans Ghazni last week, a media report said on Friday.