Nephew of Afghan President Ashraf Ghani discusses Taliban takeover
Nephew of Afghan President Ashraf Ghani discusses Taliban takeover
Amel Ghani is not just any 27-year-old Afghan American. He’s the nephew of Ashraf Ghani, the president of Afghanistan. The president fled the country within hours of the Taliban entering the capital of Kabul. Ghani does not support his uncle’s actions and he’s devastated at what’s become scraps of a once peaceful country.
LAKE MARY, Fla. - Ousted Afghan President Ashraf Ghani made a snap decision to flee the country last weekend, doing so without the assistance of U.S. officials as Taliban insurgents entered Kabul, a well-placed source who spoke to bodyguards at the presidential palace told Fox News on Tuesday.
The source described divisions between top officials close to Ghani on the night he fled, with some attempting last-minute negotiations with Taliban leaders in Qatar in a bid to avoid bloodshed. Efforts to negotiate a semi-inclusive government and safe passage failed as Taliban militants breached Kabul and approached the palace.
Ghani’s evacuation marked the effective collapse of the U.S.-backed Afghan government following a stunning offensive by Taliban forces.
Amel Ghani is not just any 27-year-old Afghan American. He is the nephew of Ashraf Ghani. Like his uncle, he also fled the country before the Taliban takeover
"It has been complete chaos. I am not just receiving questions, I am receiving threats on my family's lives among other things. In perspective, hey, if I see you somewhere on the street, we are going to have a serious problem."
Ghani does not support his uncle’s actions and he is devastated at what’s become scraps of a once peaceful country. He lives in Washington, D.C., and graduated from American University. He discussed the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan with FOX 35 News, offering his reaction to stunning images back in his homeland.
"Most of the friends and family members that I know are completely crying and devastated at this moment," Ghani said.
Biden administration officials are standing by the U.S. withdrawal, saying 20 years of conflict and over 2,000 lives lost is enough.
Ghani says Afghanistan's government was left helpless. Now, he said they have to fight their own war with no army.
"They have left in the peak fighting season of the Taliban, left several U.S. bases to the Taliban in Afghanistan without even leaving a note to the Afghan government, and then they expect the Afghan government to go and fight a war."
Ghani said the majority of Afghans want peace
"I think peace is at the top of everybody's agenda. I mean the last 50 years the war has just been going from one government to another government," Ghani said.
In a speech earlier this week, President Biden admitted surprise at the speed with which the Taliban retook power in Afghanistan. He defended his decision to withdraw from the country, telling Americans he was unwilling to commit more U.S. troops "in a war Afghan forces are not willing to fight for themselves."
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