US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo welcomed a power-sharing deal signed Sunday by Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and his rival Abdullah Abdullah, pressing for a political settlement to end surging militant violence.

"Secretary Pompeo congratulated the two leaders for reaching an agreement on inclusive governance for Afghanistan," Pompeo's spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said in a statement, adding that he "regretted the time lost" during a bitter months-long feud that plunged the country into political crisis.

"He reiterated that the priority for the United States remains a political settlement to end the conflict and welcomed the commitment by the two leaders to act immediately in support of prompt entry into intra-Afghan negotiations."