Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani who fled the country after Taliban took over Kabul, left with four cars and a helicopter full of cash and had to leave some money behind as it would not all fit in, the news agency Reuters claimed in a report by Russian news agency RIA.
Four cars were loaded with cash. After that he kept some amount in the helicopter. Even after this, he could not keep all the money and left some money just like that, Nikita Inshchenko, a spokesman for the Russian embassy in Kabul, was quoted as saying by RIA.
Ischenko, the Russian embassy spokesman, confirmed his comments to Reuters. He cited witnesses as the source of his information. Reuters could not independently confirm the veracity of his account immediately.
Russia has said it will retain a diplomatic presence in Kabul and hopes to develop ties with the Taliban even as it says it is no rush to recognise them as the country’s rulers and will closely observe their behaviour.
Ashraf Ghani’s whereabouts are unknown. However, reports claimed that Tajikistan never allowed Ghani’s plane to land in Dushanbe and he is reportedly in Oman. Reports also suggest that he is preparing to leave for the United States via Oman. Just before leaving Afghanistan, Ashraf Ghani had said in a long post on Facebook that he fled the country to avoid bloodshed.
President Vladimir Putin’s special representative on Afghanistan Zamir Kabulov said earlier it was unclear how much money the fleeing government would leave behind.
He said he hopes the government that has fled did not take all the money from the state budget. It will be the bedrock of the budget if something is left, Kabulov told Moscow’s Ekho Moskvy radio station.
The Taliban entered Kabul on Sunday. With this, the Taliban has captured almost entire area of Afghanistan. The Taliban has created terror in Afghanistan after the withdrawal of US and NATO forces. The terror outfit has come to Kabul after capturing all the big cities including Kandahar, Ghazni. The militants group have captured Kabul in just 22 days. This is also raising questions about the Afghan army of 3 lakh soldiers prepared under the protection of America, who laid down arms in front of the Taliban one after the other.