NATO secretary general Jens Stoltenberg made an unannounced visit to Kabul today, promising the cold-war alliance’s continued support for Afghanistan after foreign combat troops withdraw in two months.

“We are ending the combat mission and are starting a new chapter in which the future of Afghanistan is in the hands if the Afghan people,” he said.

Nato is committed to $4.1 billion (£2.6bn) in annual funding for Afghan national forces and to an open-ended training and support mission to help the government combat the Taliban. 

Mr Stoltenberg, who became Nato head on October 1, also visited a training centre for Afghan special forces.

President Ashraf Ghani accepted an invitation to attend a Nato ministerial meeting on December 2. 

He said that co-operation with the international community would focus on women’s rights, governance and environmental protection.