Obama in Afghanistan on unannounced visit

NEW YORK - US President Barack Obama made an unannounced visit to Afghanistan Friday as he sought to ease strained ties with Kabul, a media report said.

Obama arrived in Kabul after a secret overnight flight and planned to head to the presidential palace to meet with Afghan President Hamid Karzai, who has complained vocally about American military tactics in recent weeks, The New York Times reported.

The US president is likely to take stock of a nine-year-old American-led war that he hopes to begin winding down next year.

The US president also planned to consult with his commanding general and visit American troops heading into another holiday season far from home, the report said.