Bomb Blast Occurs Near Army Base in Afghanistan

At a news conference with Defense Secretary Jim Mattis at his side, Gen. John Nicholson avoided offering specifics about Russia's involvement in the Afghan war.

The visit comes days after about 10 Taliban militants killed at least 140 people in the deadliest insurgent raid on an Afghan military base in 16 years. The assailants randomly sprayed bullets on the troops in one of the deadliest attacks in the war-torn nation's recent past.

Mattis is expected to meet Afghan officials and USA troops while in Kabul, but his arrival coincided with an announcement that his Afghan counterpart, Defence Minister Abdullah Habibi, and the Afghan army chief of staff had resigned after more than 140 Afghan soldiers were killed in a Taliban attack on Friday.

Mattis's arrival in Kabul on April 24 coincided with the resignation of Afghanistan's defense minister and army chief of staff in the wake of the Mazar-e Sharif massacre.

Mr. Ghani, American officials said, had to show that there was some degree of accountability in his government.

In March, when the commander of US forces in Europe, Army Gen. Curtis Scaparrotti, told lawmakers that Russia was providing support to the Taliban, the Russian foreign ministry dismissed the allegations as "a lie" and said the charge was being promulgated to disguise Washington's own policy failures in Afghanistan.

With Afghan army units pulling back, and in some cases forced to abandon more scattered and rural bases, the government could only claim to control or influence 57 percent of the country, according to USA military estimates late a year ago.

Referring to the Russians again, Nicholson said "anyone who arms belligerents who perpetuate attacks like the one we saw" isn't focused on "the best way forward to a peaceful reconciliation".

The officials say President Ashraf Ghani accepted the resignations on Monday.

Russian Federation denies that it provides any such support to the Taliban, which ruled Afghanistan until the US -led invasion in 2001.

Taliban Spoksman Zabihullah Mujahid claimed responsibility for Monday's attack in a text message to media organizations, saying militants had targeted "a mercenary forces center".

Mattis made his first trip to Afghanistan as Defense secretary Monday as the Trump administration determines how best to move forward in the country. The American and other foreign troops remaining in Afghanistan are now mostly acting in an advisory and training role, with some combat assistance.

Mattis was expected to meet United States troops stationed in the war-torn country and Afghan officials. Afghanistan marked a day of national mourning on Sunday, with memorial services held at mosques and the Afghan flag flying at half-staff on government buildings and offices. They have been known to minimise casualties in such attacks in the past.