Ousted Afghan President Ghani fled Kabul in cars stuffed with CASH - Russian Embassy

Sputnik
Mon, 16 Aug 2021 08:45 UTC

© Reuters / Afghan Presidential Palace

FILE PHOTO: Afghanistan's ousted president, Ashraf Ghani.

On Sunday, Ashraf Ghani ostensibly fled Kabul for Tajikistan after Taliban* militants entered the Afghan capital without a fight.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, who stepped down to prevent further violence in his country, was fleeing Kabul escorted with cars filled with cash, a Russian Embassy spokesman told Sputnik on Monday. Ghani reportedly left Kabul for Tajikistan, but his current location and status remain unknown.

"As for the collapse of the regime, it is most eloquently characterised by the way Ghani fled from Afghanistan: four cars were full of money, they tried to put part of the money into a helicopter, but everything did not fit. And some of the money was left on the runway", Russian diplomatic mission spokesperson Nikita Ishenko said.

He spoke after Russia's special presidential representative for Afghanistan Zamir Kabulov told reporters that the seizure of Kabul was unexpected, and that Russia and other countries had overrated the Afghan Armed Forces.

"It came as a surprise to a certain extent, as we were guided by the understanding that the Afghan Army, whatever it may be, will still resist for some time", Kabulov pointed out.

Comment: It was perhaps unexpected for him, but the higher ups in the West knew well in advance; that's just how they treat their stooges, let this be a lesson to those in other countries also under their sway.

© AP Photo / Zabi Karimi

Taliban fighters take control of Afghan presidential palace after the Afghan President Ashraf Ghani fled the country, in Kabul, Afghanistan, Sunday, Aug. 15, 2021.

The diplomat stressed that Moscow will not make any hasty decisions concerning recognition of the new Afghan government, adding that the removal of the Taliban from the list of terrorist organisations is out of the question at this stage.

According to Kabulov, it is up to the United Nations Security Council to initiate the relevant procedure.

Comment: Both Russia and China have hosted the Taliban for diplomatic talks at various times, beginning a few years ago, and up to a few weeks ago.

The Taliban entered Kabul without a fight on Sunday, with Ashraf Ghani fleeing the country shortly thereafter and explaining that he did so in order to avoid bloodshed.

According to Ghani, the militant group may have won the "trial of sword and guns", but is yet to win the hearts of the Afghan people.

Comment: That there has been little resistance from some regions is evidence that the Taliban are held in higher esteem than the Kabul administration.

"Never in history has raw power given legitimacy to anyone and never will. [The Taliban] are now facing a new historic test: either they will protect the name and honour of Afghanistan or they will prioritise other places and networks", Ghani argued in a post published on his Facebook page.

Comment: A rather hypocritical statement from Ghani who was clearly willing to let the 'raw power' of the US invasion and occupation to confer him 'legitimacy'

RT reports that the Afghan embassy has demanded that Interpol arrest exiled president Ghani over 'treasury theft':

The Afghan ambassador to Tajikistan said in a press statement on Wednesday that he "demands" the "thieves" who stole from the Afghan people be arrested, including Ghani. The envoy said that he asked the Interpol to pay attention to the case.

The ambassador, Mohammad Zahir Aghbar, insisted that the former Afghan officials, including the ousted president, should be brought to an "international court" so that they could be tried and "the people's wealth and finances can be returned." The envoy said that the president and some other officials "stole" from Afghanistan's treasury.

Ghani left Afghanistan as the Taliban closed in on the capital last weekend, and later posted on Facebook to explain that he left his presidential post in an effort to thwart the "massacring" of civilians and avoid heavy bloodshed in Kabul.

Is that why he took a load of loot with him, too?

According to the Russian Embassy in Afghanistan, Ghani arrived at the Kabul airport with several cars laden with cash and valuables. On Wednesday, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) confirmed that the ousted Afghan president and his family were allowed into the country "on humanitarian grounds."

The Afghan embassy in Tajikistan also stated that First Vice President Amrullah Saleh was "officially the acting president" after Ghani's "escape" from Afghanistan. The embassy also posted photographs of Ghani's framed image being replaced with that of Saleh.

Saleh declared himself Afghanistan's new, legitimate leader in a tweet on Tuesday. He also said he was currently in the country and vowed not to give in to the Taliban militants, whom he described as "terrorists" and said he would not work with the Islamist regime.

It is unclear if Saleh wields any real power on the ground, despite his declarations on Twitter, since the Taliban is now in firm control of all major cities, including Kabul.

A spokesman for the militant group, Zabihullah Mujahid, held its first international media press conference on Tuesday, where he made numerous sweeping statements and said the Taliban is focused on forming a new government, claiming it would observe women's rights and pardon its wartime enemies.

See also: As America's attempt to Westernise Afghanistan by force fails, Kabul may now find its place in Russian & Chinese-dominated Eurasia

And check out SOTT radio's: NewsReal: The Great (End)Game - Closing the Afghan War, Opening the 'Covid War'?