President Ghani Escaped Afghanistan With Four Vehicles, Helicopter Full Of U.S. Dollars — Report
Afghanistan’s President, Ashraf Ghani, escaped the country with four vehicles and a cash-filled helicopter.
According to Reuters, the news came from Russia’s embassy in Kabul, citing Nikita Ishchenko, a spokesman for the Russian embassy in Kabul.
“Four cars were full of money, they tried to stuff another part of the money into a helicopter, but not all of it fit. And some of the money was left lying on the tarmac,” Mr Ischenko told Reuters.
Mr Ghani, whose whereabouts are unknown, left the presidential residence in Kabul on Sunday, claiming that he wished to prevent bloodshed.
Last week, the Taliban surged through Afghanistan, capturing most of the country’s major provinces before closing in on Kabul on Sunday and demanding the government’s unconditional surrender.
The Taliban’s takeover of the country comes after the United States withdrew its armed forces, signaling the end of a two-decade war effort.
The United States had designated September 11 as the date for the total departure of US soldiers from Afghanistan to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. President Joe Biden’s administration had predicted that the radical organization would take entire control of the country in a few months.
In light of the current situation, Vice President Joe Biden issued a warning to the Taliban not to obstruct the US withdrawal from Afghanistan, threatening “devastating force, if necessary.”
