Afghan President Has Left the Country; Taliban Takes Over Kabul, Enters Presidential Palace (UPDATED)
The president of Afghanistan has reportedly the country, with the Taliban at the gates of Kabul.
Per multiple reports, President Ashraf Ghani fled Afghanistan earlier on Sunday.
BREAKING: Afghan President Ghani has fled the country. “That’s it. It’s over,” U.S. official says
— Lucas Tomlinson (@LucasFoxNews) August 15, 2021
Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani has left the country for Tajikistan, senior interior ministry official says https://t.co/WPTOR8Oz9D pic.twitter.com/vneyf8QfJf
— Reuters (@Reuters) August 15, 2021
BREAKING: Afghan officials tell AP that President Ashraf Ghani has left the country as Taliban say they will move further into Kabul. https://t.co/qakbu4C2IG
— The Associated Press (@AP) August 15, 2021
In an online statement hours later, Ghani said, “Today I was presented with a hard choice. I should stand to face the armed Taliban who wanted to enter the presidential palace or leave the dear country that I dedicated my life to protecting the past twenty years.”
“If I had stayed, countless countrymen would have been martyred and Kabul city would have been ruined,” he added.
The Taliban has taken control in Kabul and held a press conference inside the presidential palace, which aired on Al Jazeera.
Stunning visuals via @AlJazeera of #Taliban fighters in control of the presidential palace in #Kabul after @ashrafghani fled the country
It's over. The Taliban are back in power. #Afghanistan pic.twitter.com/fMwqNcMgDM
— Anuj Chopra (@AnujChopra) August 15, 2021
Taliban removing government flags and insignia from the presidential palace pic.twitter.com/CN2zjHtqEZ
— Evan Hill (@evanhill) August 15, 2021
This post has been updated.
