Afghan President escapes as Taliban enters Kabul: “Thanks to God, the war is over in the country,” Taliban
On Sunday Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, along with his vice-president and other senior officials flew out of Afghanistan as the Taliban enters Kabul.
A top Taliban official has said that the real test of governing is set to begin after the group entered the Afghan capital, Kabul, and took control of the presidential palace.
Ghani later said in a statement posted on Facebook that he fled to prevent further bloodshed.
“The Taliban have won with the judgment of their swords and guns, and are now responsible for the honor, property, and self-preservation of their countrymen,” he said.
Earlier Sunday, the Taliban also took over Jalalabad, the capital of Nangarhar province and the last major city outside the capital to have been under government control.
However, the Taliban declared the war in Afghanistan was over after terrorists took control of the presidential palace in Kabul as US-led forces departed and Western nations scrambled on Monday to evacuate their citizens.
“Today is a great day for the Afghan people and the mujahideen. They have witnessed the fruits of their efforts and their sacrifices for 20 years,” Mohammad Naeem, the spokesman for the Taliban’s political office, told Al Jazeera TV.
“Thanks to God, the war is over in the country.”
Naeem said the type and form of the new regime in Afghanistan would be made clear soon, adding the Taliban did not want to live in isolation and calling for peaceful international relations.
“We have reached what we were seeking, which is the freedom of our country and the independence of our people,” he said. “We will not allow anyone to use our lands to target anyone, and we do not want to harm others.”
Various political leaders of Afghanistan condemned the act of the Afghan President leaving the country during such a crisis.
Abdullah Abdullah, head of the Afghan National Reconciliation Council, posted a video on Facebook, criticizing Ghani.
Abdullah confirmed that Ghani had left the country and said, “I feel the former president left the country and people in a bad position. God will make him accountable.”
Afghan Vice President Amrullah Saleh, who also left Kabul along with Ghani, in a tweet vowed not to bow to the Taliban, but he did not respond in the message to reports of him leaving the country.
Former US President Criticized Joe Biden
Former US President Donald Trump called for his successor Joe Biden to resign on Sunday over the swift takeover of Afghanistan by Taliban fighters, as US troops withdrew from the country after nearly 20 years on the ground.
“It is time for Joe Biden to resign in disgrace for what he has allowed happening to Afghanistan,” Trump said in a statement.
Whereas. US State Department spokesperson said early on Monday that almost all embassy personnel, including Ambassador Ross Wilson, were at the airport and the American flag had been lowered and removed from the embassy compound.
Hundreds of Afghans waited for flights at Kabul airports, some dragging luggage across runways in the dark, while women and children slept near security corridors.
Reports of some scuffles broke out among people unable to get a place as departures were halted at the airport.
