Whose call led to ex-Afghan Prez Ashraf Ghani's exit from Kabul? Report makes revelation

Former Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani and then-Afghan National Security Advisor Hamdullah Mohib's sudden departure from the country was persuaded by a text followed by a call from a Pakistani number, reported New Yorker magazine. While the Taliban was marching into the war-ravaged nation in mid-August, the magazine claimed that the text message was received in the afternoon of August 15, the day the terrorists seized control of Kabul and led to the fall of the Ghani regime. 

Taliban swiftly took over entire Afghanistan after two decades while the United States and other Western troops were leaving the foreign soil. In just two weeks, the terrorists raged their attacks on former Afghan government forces and ended up claiming full control in August.

The New Yorker magazine has claimed, "Khalil Haqqani, a leader of the Taliban faction named after his family, wished to speak with Mohib. He took the call from Haqqani who asked him to surrender."

"Mohib called Tom West, a deputy to (Former United States Ambassador to the United Nations Zalmay) Khalilzad in Doha, to inform him about the call. West told him not to go to any meeting because it might be a trap," the report claimed.

When was it agreed that Ghani would leave to UAE?

Later that same day, which was August 15, the former Afghan National Security Adviser met with Ghani and another diplomat from United Arab Emirates (UAE) to discuss the possible evacuation plan. Subsequently, at noon, it was agreed that Mohib, Ghani, Ex-Afghan President's wife Rula and some other staff members of the former government should leave for UAE as soon as possible. 

The magazine further claimed that Mohib's contacts in UAE had offered seats on an Emirates Airlines flight which was scheduled to depart Kabul at 4 PM (local time). New Yorker stated that Ghani even asked Mohib to escort Rula to Dubai and then join the negotiating team in Doha in a bid to finalise talks about Kabul handover with Khalilzad and Mullah Baradar, the Taliban leader in UAE. 

Mohib escorted Rula to a helipad behind the Dilkusha palace and they were set to fly to Hamid Karzai International Airport, to board the Emirates flight. By the time they all reached the airport, Ghani's three Mi-17s were at the Arg Palace and the fourth was at the airport. Mohib then learned that the pilots had fully fueled the helicopters because they wanted to fly directly to Tajikistan or Uzbekistan, as soon as possible, similar to the escape route which was previously taken by other Afghan military pilots. 

Pilots refused to go to UAE

The report stated that pilots had initially refused to go to the airport with Rula as they heard that rogue Afghan soldiers were either seizing or grounding helicopters there. While they were still discussing the options to escape, the head of former Presidential guard, Qahar Kochai told Mohib, "If you leave, you will be endangering the President’s life." 

New Yorker stated that Mohib then asked Kochai if he wanted him to stay to which Kochai replied, "No, I want you to take the President with you."

"Mohib doubted that all of Ghani’s bodyguards would remain loyal if the Taliban entered the palace grounds, and Kochai indicated that he did not have the means to protect the President," the magazine reported.

Mohib helped Rula onto the President’s helicopter and asked her to wait. With Kochai, he drove back to the residence, found Ghani standing inside and said: "Mr. President, it’s time. We must go." 

When the former Afghan President sought to go upstairs to get some belongings, the magazine reported that Mohib worried that every minute they delayed they risked touching off a panic and a revolt by armed guards. Ghani climbed into a car, without so much as his passport.

According to the report, the pilots had said that each plane could carry only six passengers. But Ghani, Rula, and Mohib, nine other officials squeezed aboard and so did the members of Ghani’s security and they flew to Uzbekistan. 

Then, in Doha, Khalilzad and Baradar "agreed that they will not enter Kabul" and would withdraw what Baradar described as "some hundreds of Taliban" who had already entered the capital. Even though the assurances came from the US envoy and Taliban, the report stated that Ghani did not find their claims reliable.

It is to be noted that while Mohib and Ghani hastily left Afghanistan, other members of the former government were taken aback while negotiations were still underway with the Taliban. 

IMAGE: AP