President Ashraf Ghani leaves Afghanistan after Taliban take over: Report

Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani has left the country after Taliban seized control
of Afghanistan after he resigned on  Sunday, according to sources quoted by TOLO News.  Sources in the interior ministry told Reuters that the outgoing president has left for Tajikistan.

The Taliban militarily took over control of all provinces in
Afghanistan with the exception of Kabul, the seat of the Afghanistan
government. On Sunday, Taliban entered Kabul and initiated talks with members
of the civilian government at the Afghan Presidential Palace. 

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Following
the talks, Ashraf Ghani, the leader of Afghanistan’s civilian government
stepped down as the Taliban seized power. An interim government will now be
formed under the leadership of the Taliban. Talks began after the Taliban said that
they did not want to seize Kabul by force. 

The
negotiators on the government side included former President Hamid Karzai and
Abdullah Abdullah, the head of the Afghan National Reconciliation Council, an
official told the Associated Press. Abdullah long has been a vocal critic of
President Ashraf Ghani, who long refused giving up power to get a deal with the
Taliban.

Earlier, Taliban insurgents
attempted to calm residents of Kabul promising “No one’s life, property and
dignity will be harmed and the citizens of Kabul will not be at risk.” However,
a voice message circulating on social media reportedly from a Taliban commander
also warned that no one is allowed to enter Kabul province.

Afghan official says troops surrender Bagram air base to Taliban; base is home to prison housing 5,000 inmates. 

Panic has set in in Kabul as
thousands rush to leave the country through the Kabul airport, the last route
out of the country. The Taliban have taken control of every border crossing.

The US State Department did not
immediately respond to questions about movements. But wisps of smoke emanated
from the embassy’s roofs as diplomats destroyed sensitive documents, according
to two officials of the US military who spoke on condition of anonymity because
they were not authorised to discuss the situation.

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Thousands of people in Kabul are now
living in parks and open spaces fearing a Taliban government that could reimpose
a brutal rule. ATMs in Kabul have run out of cash and hundreds have gathered
outside private banks in a last-ditch attempt to withdraw their life’s savings.
  

With inputs from Associated Press