US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo arrived in the Afghan capital on Monday on a previously unannounced visit to try to salvage a historic deal between Washington and the Taliban, struck in February but marred by a political feud.

Pompeo visited Afghan President Ashraf Ghani at his palace before meeting his political rival Abdullah Abdullah, both of whom say they are Afghanistan's rightful leader following a disputed election in September.

According to a pool report from a journalist accompanying Pompeo, the top US diplomat was welcomed by special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad - the lead US negotiator in recent talks with the Taliban - after arriving at Kabul airport.

The visit comes just a day after the Afghan government and the Taliban held their first discussion on arranging prisoner exchanges - a key step in a broader push for peace following a withdrawal deal signed between Washington and the militants last month.

The agreement established a framework for bringing to an end the US' longest war following the invasion of Afghanistan in 2001.

Khalilzad tweeted Sunday it was "urgent" to quickly conclude plans for the prisoner swap - as called for in the US pact with the Taliban - with the coronavirus pandemic complicating diplomatic contacts.

The deal called for the release of up to 5,000 Taliban fighters held by Kabul, and up to 1,000 members of the ­Afghan government forces in insurgent hands.

That was meant to take place before the start of peace talks originally set for March 10 between the government - which was not a party to the negotiations that produced the Doha deal - and the Taliban.

After initially refusing to release the Taliban prisoners, Ghani announced that the authorities would free 1,500 insurgents as a "gesture of goodwill" with plans to free another 3,500 prisoners after the talks are underway. 

The Taliban rejected the ­offer.

The Doha accord also calls for the gradual withdrawal of US and other foreign troops over a 14-month period - the main focus of the US diplomatic efforts.

The first phase of that withdrawal has already begun, though some troop movements have been slowed by the coronavirus pandemic.

In exchange, the Taliban committed to fight jihadist groups like Al Qaeda and promised to negotiate for the first time with Kabul.