▲ Former Afghan President Ghani speaking to the public in UAE
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, who fled the country after being chased by the Taliban who took control of Afghanistan, has dismissed allegations that he stole cash while fleeing.
In a video message released through SNS on the 18th local time, President Ghani said, "I had no choice but to leave Kabul to prevent bloodshed. I am currently in the UAE."
In the video, President Ghani was wearing a white shirt and black vest, and the Afghan flag was placed behind his back.
In the approximately nine-minute video, he read the prepared manuscript in a calm voice.
"While I was at the Presidential Palace (on the 15th), I received a report from security that the Taliban had entered Kabul," Ghani said.
He also dismissed the allegation that he took a large amount of cash when he left Afghanistan as "baseless allegations and lies."
"We are discussing returning home so that we can continue our efforts for justice in Afghanistan," he said.
He also said he supported the Taliban negotiations with a government delegation currently in Qatar.
The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that it had welcomed former President Ghani and his family on a humanitarian basis.
President Ghani hurriedly fled the country with his wife and staff on the 15th when the Taliban, which had taken control of Afghanistan, tried to invade and besiege even Kabul.
"When the government collapsed, Ghani escaped with four cars full of money," an official from the Russian embassy in Afghanistan told Sputnik.
Afghan ambassador to Tajikistan, Mohammad Zahir Agbar, also held a press conference, claiming that Ghani was carrying $169 million (approximately 197.8 billion won) when he fled.
Ghani has yet to publicly announce his intention to resign, but first Vice President Amrullah Saleh, Afghan government second-in-command, said on Twitter that Ghani had fled the country and that he was legitimate acting president.
(Photo = Facebook capture, Yonhap News)