A spokesman says Democratic presidential contender Barack Obama has arrived in Afghanistan.
The trip is the first stop on a campaign-season tour of war zones, reported AP.
Less than four months before the general election, Obama's first visit to Afghanistan, with a subsequent stop in Iraq, was rich with political implications. The Illinois senator flew as part of an official congressional delegation.
He was joined by Democratic Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island and Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel of Nebraska. Both have been mentioned as possible veeps.
Spokesman Robert Gibbs said Obama arrived in Kabul at about 3:15 a.m. EDT.
Rival John McCain has criticized Obama for his lack of time in the region. The Republican National Committee had a running ticker tallying the more than 900 days since his last visit to Iraq.