Had No Choice But To Flee Kabul, Was Given 'Two Minutes' To Decide: Ex-Afghan Prez Ashraf Ghani

Ex-President Ashraf Ghani said that an adviser gave him just "minutes" to decide to abandon Kabul.

The then Afghan President Ashraf Ghani during an event to mark Independence Day at the Ministry of Defence compound in Kabul on August 18, 2016 | Getty

New Delhi: In the latest interview to BBC's Radio 4, Afghanistan's former president said he had no choice but to abruptly leave Kabul as the Taliban closed in and denied an agreement was in the works for a peaceful takeover.

Afghanistan went through a major shift in 2021 as the Taliban took over after US and NATO forces were withdrawn from the country after 20 years.

As Kabul and the Presidential palace were taken over by the Taliban in August, the elected President Ashraf Ghani flee the country. His exit created a leadership void to carry out negotiations an earlier brokered tri-party transition of power plan between the US & NATO, the elected Afghan Government, and the Taliban.

Did Not Know Where We Will Go: Ghani

Ex-President Ashraf Ghani said that an adviser gave him just "minutes" to decide to abandon Kabul. Ghani said his national security adviser, Hamdullah Mohib, was "literally terrified and he did not give me more than two minutes."

"On the morning of that day (August 15), I had no inkling that by late afternoon I would be leaving," Ghani told BBC radio.

As per Ghani's account, he originally had to fly southeastern Khost city. But since Khost was already under Taliban's control his next plan was to move to the eastern city of Jalalabad, on the border with Pakistan, which also had fallen, he said.

"I did not know where we will go," Ghani said.

"Only when we took off did it become clear that we were leaving (the country)," he said.

Ghani has been in the United Arab Emirates ever since his exit from the country.

Ghani in his radio interview said he fled to prevent the destruction of Kabul. He alleged two rival Taliban factions were bearing down on the capital city and were ready to enter and wage a bitter battle for control. 

Ex-Afghan President also denied accusations that he left the country with millions in stolen money.

(With Wires Inputs)