KABUL (Agencies): Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has agreed to resign. The Russian Embassy in Kabul told Kommersant that, according to their information, President Ghani fled from the presidential palace and his whereabouts are unknown. This is also reported by RIA Novosti and Sputnik Afghanistan, citing local sources. The Taliban movement earlier announced that it would not accept power from President Ashraf Ghani.
The Russian President’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Director of the Second Asia Department of the Russian Foreign Ministry Zamir Kabulov told RIA Novosti that Afghan President Ashraf Ghani could have escaped from the country on one of the planes with which the United States evacuates its diplomatic personnel and military from the country, but it is unlikely that he would have gone to Russia.
“This is unlikely, for this (flight to Russia) he does not have a Russian visa. The Americans are evacuating their diplomatic mission and others, one of these planes could have escaped,” Kabulov said.
Kabulov, said that Moscow is not preparing the evacuation of the embassy staff. According to him, the diplomats “are working calmly and closely watching the development of events.”
The head of the Supreme Council for National Reco-nciliation in Afghanistan, Abdullah Abdullah also confirmed that Ashraf Ghani had resigned from the presidency and left the country. In a video message on Facebook, he also called on Afghans to remain calm and Afghan forces to ensure security.
“The fact that the former president left the country, left the people and the country in such a state, God is his judge, and the people will assess him,” said Abdullah.
Earlier, a RIA Novosti source said that Afghan President Ashraf Ghani agreed to resign, flew from Kabul to Tajikistan, from where he will go to a third country.
Power in the country was transferred to a council, which included the he-ad of the Supreme Council for National Reconciliation Abdullah Abdullah and ex-President Hamid Karzai. The council will peacefully hand over power to the Taliban. Also, a delegation led by the commander of the Taliban Abdul Ghani Baradar will head the administration of the President of Afghanistan.
The Tajik portal Asia Plus also reported that Ashraf Ghani flew to Tajikistan. He is accompanied by National Security Adviser Hamdullah Muhib and Chief of Staff Fazl Mahmoud Fazli. After Tajikistan, the president must fly to a third country, while there is no information yet on which one.
