US President Barack Obama returned to Washington following a short memorial visit to Afghanistan. US President Barack Obama promised a decision on post-2014 troop numbers in Afghanistan "fairly shortly", after paying a surprise visit to soldiers fighting the last battles of America's longest war.

Obama made a covert night-time trip from the White House to Bagram Air Base aboard a darkened Air Force One on a visit Sunday meant to hail the sacrifices of US soldiers in Afghanistan ahead of the US Memorial Day weekend.