Afghanistan's President Ashraf Ghani reject resignations tendered a day earlier by three senior security officials, the government says.

US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis has visited Kabul to pledge support for the government of President Ashraf Ghani, with the precarious security in the Afghan capital underlined by a rocket attack on the airport hours after he touched down.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani issues an ultimatum to the Taliban, warning them to embrace peace or "face consequences" after announcing that the death toll from last week's devastating truck bombing have passed 150.

Australia’s prime minister has told the parliament that he telephoned Afghan President Ashraf Ghani “to restate Australia’s resolve to assist and support Afghanistan in its fight against Islamist terrorism.”

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has promised to "bury" the Islamic State (IS) militant group, whose local offshoot has clashed with government forces and Taliban fighters.

A deputy governor in Afghanistan sends a highly unusual public Facebook message to the president to plead for assistance in fighting the Taliban.