The White House says Vice President Joe Biden has arrived in Afghanistan on a visit to assess progress in the war-ravaged nation.

Biden's surprise visit Monday evening comes a little over a month after President Barack Obama traveled to the Afghanistan, telling U.S. troops who comprise the bulk of a 140,000-strong NATO force that they are making progress in their mission to fight terrorism.

Biden is slated to meet with President Hamid Karzai. The White House said in a statement that he was to assess progress toward "the transition to Afghan-led security beginning this year."