KABUL, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Acting US Secretary of Defense Pat Shanahan arrived in Afghanistan to pay an unannounced visit to the war-torn country on Monday, sources said.

Shanahan will meet US troops stationed in Afghanistan and possibly he will also hold talks with Afghan leaders and Afghan military officials.

The visit came as US Special Representative for Afghan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad, who held talks with Taliban representatives lately, started a trip to Belgium, Germany, Turkey, Qatar, Afghanistan and Pakistan from Feb. 10 to 28.