STOCKHOLM, Oct. 8 (Xinhua) -- Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere will pay an official visit to Afghanistan, nine months after he and his delegation were attacked in Kabul during his last visit, according to reports reaching here from Oslo Wednesday.

    "I am back to complete a program which I was unable to carry out due to the tragic circumstances on my last visit," the Norwegian public broadcaster NRK quoted Stoere as saying.

    For security reasons, the Norwegian minister was invited to stay at Afghan President Hamid Karzai's residence this time, where the two leaders would also have talks, the NRK reported.

    In the attack on Hotel Serena where Stoere stayed in January during his last visit, a Norwegian journalist was killed and an employee of Norwegian Foreign Ministry was wounded.

    Stoere is expected to visit the Norwegian forces deployed in Afghanistan as well as Norwegian aid workers in the country.

    Norway has deployed troops in Afghanistan under the leadership of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force, most of whom are based in the country's peaceful northern province of Faryab.