Ottawa: Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper said Afghanistan "is no longer a source of global terrorism" during a surprise visit to the war-torn country, but still urged vigilance on the threat.
His office announced the one-day trip after his jet was wheels-up. It comes as Canada prepares to transition to a training mission after nine years of combat in Afghanistan.
"This country does not represent a geostrategic risk to the world," Canada's public broadcaster CBC quoted Harper as saying in a speech. "It is no longer a source of global terrorism."
However, he added, nations such as Canada must remain vigilant.
"Some might think that given all our sacrifices and with news of Osama bin Laden's death, the threat of terrorism has vanished," he said. "Unfortunately, it's an illusion.
"We cannot pretend that terrorism (from elsewhere) does not threaten our world or our nation."
Afghanistan's support for al-Qaida led to the invasion of the country by US and its allies following the September 11, 2001 attacks in the United States.
A spokesperson for Harper said the prime minister made the trip "to thank the troops for their work and to get a briefing on the transition."
During the one-day visit, Harper met with Canadian soldiers at their base at Kandahar Airfield and toured parts of the country by helicopter, including a stop at a remote western outpost or "forward operating base" in Sperwan Ghar.
PTI
First Published: Tuesday, May 31, 2011, 09:43