Afghan Central Bank's head flees Kabul as Taliban takes over, questions Ghani-led govt

Head of Afghanistan’s Central bank Ajmal Ahmady has left Kabul and questioned the loyalty of Afghan Security Forces. In a Twitter thread on Monday, relaying the first-hand account of the turn of events in the war-torn country, Ahmady blamed the now-former Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and even his “inexperienced” advisors for the country’s rapid and chaotic fall to the Taliban. He also detailed how he worked at the bank until terrorists were at the gates of the city. The acting governor also said that the US dollar supplies were dwindling while describing how he escaped the capital on a military flight. 

"On Sunday, I began work. Reports throughout morning were increasingly worrisome. I left the bank and left deputies in charge. Felt terrible about leaving staff," he said.

"It did not have to end this way. I am disgusted by the lack of any planning by Afghan leadership. Saw at airport them leave without informing others."

Ghani fled Afghanistan on Sunday, August 15 as Taliban militants entered Kabul virtually unphased. Ahmady said that the arrival of the insurgents in Kabul was barely a week away after it captured the faraway provincial capital Zaranj was disorienting. Ahmady was appointed acting governor of Afghanistan’s central bank just over a year ago. According to a brief description on the official website, he has previously worked at the United States Treasury, the World Bank and in private equity. 

"Seems difficult to believe, but there remains a suspicion as to why (Afghan National Security Forces) left posts so quickly," Ahmady said while referring to some of the claims made by some of the pro-government military leaders stating that the army’s capitulation in northern Afghanistan was the outcome of a conspiracy. He said, “There is something left unexplained.”

Taliban Will Not Be Able To Access Govt's Assets In US

A senior administration official has revealed that even though the Taliban has declared control over Afghanistan, the government’s assets in the central bank of the South Asian country, Da Afghanistan Bank will not be made available to the insurgents. While Central Bank watchers across the globe are on alert over extremists controlling Afghanistan and the International Monetary Fund has stated that Da Afghanistan bank held $9.4 billion in international reserves in April, Axios quoted senior administration official saying that the Taliban will not be able to access any assets the Afghan government has in the United States.

As per the report, the official familiar with the matter said, “The vast majority of the Afghan Central Bank assets are not currently held in Afghanistan.” Further, an administration official told the outlet, “Any Central Bank assets the Afghan government have in the United States will not be made available to the Taliban.” Da Afghanistan Bank reportedly mainly holds reserves in gold or the widely held currency like the American dollar. Reportedly, the same reserves are used for transactions among the central banks. 

IMAGE: AP/Twitter