Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, whose regime was toppled a few days ago, denied taking large sums of money as he left the presidential palace, and said that he had to leave Kabul to prevent bloodshed, while the US president implicitly criticized him and said that he boarded the plane and left for another country.

Ghani's comments came in a video clip that Ghani posted on Facebook, hours after he announced his presence with members of his family in the United Arab Emirates.

Speech by Afghan President Ashraf Ghani from his residence in the #UAE https://t.co/8opjHu2apk

- Al Jazeera Channel (@AJArabic) August 18, 2021

And former Afghan ministers strongly criticized Ghani for leaving the country suddenly as Taliban forces entered the Afghan capital last Sunday.

But Ghani defended his departure, saying, "If I had stayed, I would have witnessed the bloodshed in Kabul."

He added that he left on the advice of government officials.

Biden: Ghani got on the plane and left

In the first US comments on Ghani's statements, US President Joe Biden said that the Afghan president boarded the plane and left for another country, and that the Afghan forces trained by Washington collapsed and left their weapons.

In turn, US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman said that she had followed up on the announcement issued by the UAE regarding hosting Afghan President Ashraf Ghani.

Sherman indicated at a press conference in Washington that Ghani is no longer in a position of responsibility in Afghanistan, stressing that the relationship between her country and the UAE is good.

A helicopter and 4 cars loaded with money.. Exciting details of the escape of Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and his whereabouts are still unknown pic.twitter.com/v3XeSN1jJO

- Al Jazeera Channel (@AJArabic) August 17, 2021

UAE justifies a rich reception

The UAE had confirmed - earlier yesterday, Wednesday - that Afghan President Ashraf Ghani is in it after leaving his country with the Taliban fighters taking control of Afghanistan.

The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that "the UAE has received President Ashraf Ghani and his family in the country for humanitarian considerations."

Afghan sources reported that Ashraf Ghani and his defense minister settled with members of their families in the UAE.

A government source told Al Jazeera that the Afghan Defense Minister, General Bismillah Khan Mohammadi and two of his sons had taken refuge in Dubai in the UAE.