KABUL - UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is paying a surprise visit to Afghanistan to show his support to this war-torn country and UN staff here on Friday, a UN press officer told Xinhua.

"This is a low-profile one-day visit, during which Ban would hold a talk with Afghan President Hamid Karzai," Dan McNorton said, adding the UN Secretary-General would like to find reality on the ground here by himself.

Ban and Karzai were also expected to discuss bilateral cooperation and the upcoming Afghanistan reconstruction conference, which is to be held in Italian capital Rome on July 2-3, the press officer said.

Ban would also meet with Tom Koenigs, special representative of the UN Secretary-General in Afghanistan, and other UN staff working here to show his support to them, he added.

UN staff in Afghanistan have been attacked by militants from time to time, and Ban has expressed his condolences and encouragement.

This is Ban's first visit to Afghanistan since he took office.