Afghanistan President Ghani visits Washington, U.N.

WASHINGTON, March 23 (UPI) -- Afghan President Ashraf Ghani's visit to Washington is expected to reinforce relations between the United States and Afghanistan despite the planned withdrawal of U.S. troops.

It is Ghani's first visit to the United States since his contested election six months ago. He and Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, with whom he shares power in a post-election deal, arrived Sunday to persuade U.S. legislators that Afghanistan still requires financial aid and military equipment, but is prepared to preserve democracy and fight the Islamic State.

In an interview with NBC News, Ghani revealed he believes his country has become an IS target.

"We've prevented them [IS] from acting, but we have sufficient evidence that they were targeting us because to their narrative, to their story line, Afghanistan is central," said Ghani.

He also said an aim of the Washington trip is to thank the United States for its 13-year military commitment to Afghanistan, adding, "Over 2,000 American servicemen and women have lost their lives, over 20,000 have been wounded in action, and the people of Afghanistan want to say thank you."

Afghanistan still does not have important cabinet ministers or governors in certain regions, the result of a combative and disunited parliament. Peace talks with the local Taliban, which has resumed attacks on high-profile targets, have barely begun and security forces are struggling to replace foreign troops. Only 9,800 U.S. troops and 3,000 from other NATO countries remain in Afghanistan and plans call for a complete U.S. withdrawal by 2016.

Talks at Camp David and in Washington are expected to concentrate on security, economic development and the Afghanistan's internal reconciliation, State Department officials said.

Ghani and Abdullah will visit the Pentagon and Camp David Monday, the White House Tuesday and will travel to the United Nations in New York before leaving Thursday.