Cameron makes surprise visit to Afghanistan .

David Cameron went unannounced to visit Afghanistan to meet with the new unity government, the first major Western leader to visit since an election stalemate was resolved, easing threats of armed conflict.

In a speech in a joint press conference he paid tribute to the British soldiers who lost their lives fighting the Taliban and said 'together we have made Afghanistan and Britain safer'.

It came as it emerged that the RAF squadron targeting Isis terrorists in Iraq was actually due to be disbanded in April 2015. It will now be reprieved.

Cameron's convoy arrived at the presidential palace in Kabul early on Friday and he was seen entering the compound for meetings.

With the UK drawing to the close of its 13-year military involvement in the country, the Prime Minister said that Britain had gone 'a long way' towards achieving its objectives there.

The Prime Minister paid tribute to the 453 UK servicemen and women who have died in the course of operations in the country as well as to those who had been injured.

'They (the armed forces) have paid a very high price for our engagement in Afghanistan. They have done vital work here,' he said.

'We should remember those who paid the ultimate price and those who were injured through the work they did.'

He continued: 'This year again, Afghan forces have proved to the Taliban once again that their aims will not be achieved through violence and intimidation.

'If the Taliban want to secure a role in the future of Afghanistan then they must accept that they have to give up violence and engage in the political process.'

He said the UK would continue to support the Afghan National Officer academy in the capital, and would be providing £178 million a year until 2017 to 'sustain the major progress' the country had made on education, health and other public services.