The minister flew in on a military aircraft from Dushanbe in Tajikistan.

On arrival in Kabul Alliot-Marie left most of her entourage behind and headed for the southern city of Kandahar. From there she will visit some 200 French special forces who are in Afghanistan alongside US-led troops.

She will return to Kabul on Friday for talks with Afghan authorities and to celebrate New Year with around 900 French soldiers stationed in the Afghan capital as part of the peacekeeping International Security Assistance Force.