Former President of Afghanistan Ashraf Ghani on Wednesday made his first appearance after fleeing the country to United Arab Emirates on Sunday as Taliban encircled Kabul. His departure from the country resulted in full takeover by the militants group. However, reiterating that he had left the country to stop bloodshed, Ghani denied the allegations levelled against him that he had fled the country with four cars and a chopper full of cash. He said he had not taken the country’s money. These allegations are baseless. On US President Joe Biden’s statements, Ghani said that we were talking to the Taliban, but it was inconclusive. He also thanked the army and the officers.
Ghani supported the talks between senior members of Taliban movement, his predecessor Hamid Karzai, and Abdullah Abdullah, who headed the ultimately failed peace process.
Ashraf Ghani has taken refuge in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) along with his family. He appeared in front of the world for the first time around 10:45 pm on the fourth day of leaving the country. He said he had no intention of remaining in exile in the Gulf nation and was in talks with Afghan’s former top officials to return home.
In a recorded video message, broadcast on his Facebook page, Ghani said, ”It was clearly stated in the agreement with the Taliban that they would not come inside the city of Kabul. On Sunday (August 15) afternoon, I was told by my guards that the Taliban had reached the boundary wall of the Presidential Palace. Had I lived in Afghanistan, the people of the country would have seen another President hanging on the noose of Sir-e-Aam. I did not leave the country with any kind of cash. After reaching UAE, I took customs clearance as a normal citizen. I have brought my clothes with me. Wanted to bring my library with him, but this too could not be possible. Our security forces have not failed. The country’s big leaders and the international community failed. I want to return to my country and for this I am in touch with Hamid Karzai and Abdullah Abdullah. These are the people who are negotiating with the Taliban. “
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The first time the Taliban seized Kabul, when they established their regime in 1996, they dragged former communist president Mohammed Najibullah from a United Nations office where he had been sheltering, and hanged him in a public street after torturing him.
Former Afghan President Ashraf Ghani fled the country on August 15 after the Taliban captured Kabul. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) issued a statement on Wednesday evening that said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of UAE confirms that it welcomed former President of Afghanistan Ashraf Ghani and his family to the gulf nation on humanitarian grounds.