When the Taliban entered Kabul in August 2021, almost the entire leadership of the Afghan government left the country fearing for their lives.
President Ashraf Ghani, accompanied by his wife and closest aides, sought asylum in the United Arab Emirates, while other Cabinet members, including his two vice presidents, traveled to various parts of the world.
Three days later in a video statement, Ghani said leaving may be the only way to escape the fate of his predecessor, former President Mohammad Najibullah, who was tortured and killed by the Taliban in 1996.
“If I stay, the president of Afghanistan will be executed once again in front of the eyes of the Afghan people,” said Ghani.
It is still up to speculation what the Taliban intend to do with Ghani, but Zabihullah Mujahid, the main spokesman for the Taliban, tells VOA the group has no intention of hurting anyone, including Ghani.
However, the United Nations reported on Tuesday that since seizing power, the Taliban had killed, tortured, imprisoned and abused hundreds of former Afghan military personnel – allegations the Taliban have denied.
Nonetheless, some former leaders did choose to remain in Afghanistan and were able to remain politically active, albeit in a controlled manner, thanks to the surprising amnesty announced by the Taliban for its former enemies.
Hamid Karzai, the first democratically elected president who signed the US-Afghanistan Strategic Partnership Agreement in 2012, stated his commitment to the country in a video posted on Facebook days after the Taliban’s August 2021 takeover.
The same holds true for Abdullah Abdullah, Afghanistan’s former chief executive and foreign minister, who chose to stay in Kabul despite his history of opposing the Taliban.
“I spoke to former President Karzai 10 days before the fall of the government and asked him about his plans if one day he woke up and Kabul was ruled by the Taliban,” Omar Zakhilwal, a former Afghan minister, told VOA.
“He then said that he had thought about the scenario, realizing that there might be huge risks to him and his family, especially during the government takeover period, but under no circumstances would he or his family leave Kabul.” (lt/ka/rs)