Former Afghan president Ashraf Ghani on Thursday described fleeing the Taliban's victory march on Kabul, saying the decision had been taken in 'minutes' and that he did not know he was leaving the country until he was taking off.
Former Afghan president Ashraf Ghani on Thursday described fleeing the Taliban's victory march on Kabul, saying the decision had been taken in "minutes" and that he did not know he was leaving the country until he was taking off.
His national security adviser, Hamdullah Mohib, was "literally terrified," Ghani said. "He did not give me more than two minutes."But Khost had fallen in the Islamists' lightning offensive which saw provincial capitals topple around the country in the days ahead of the withdrawal of international forces, set for the end of August."I did not know where we will go," Ghani said.Ghani has been in the United Arab Emirates ever since.
The former World Bank official has released several previous statements on his departure, admitting that he owed the Afghan people an explanation. Thursday was his first interview. But even if he'd stayed, he said, he could not have changed the outcome, which has seen the Taliban establish their new regime as the country faces one of the worst humanitarian crises in history.
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