Overthrown Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has landed in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) with his family members and the millions of assets he is said to have looted when he escaped from Kabul after the Taliban takeover.
Local media announced Ghani’s arrival in the Emirates on Wednesday, adding that the ousted Afghan leader was welcomed into the country with his family on humanitarian grounds.
“The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation can confirm that the #UAE has welcomed President #AshrafGhani and his family to the country on humanitarian grounds,” Sharjah-based outlet UAE Barq reported.
SaharaReporters had reported earlier on Tuesday that the exiled Afghan president fled the country with four vehicles and a helicopter filled with cash.
The spokesman for the Russian embassy in Kabul, Nikita Ishchenko, told Reuters that some of the money looted by Mr Ghani kept flying on the tarmac because it did not fit in the helicopter.
“Four cars were full of money, they tried to cram some of the money into a helicopter, but not everything fit. And some of the money was left on the asphalt,” Ischenko said.
Ghani fled the presidential palace in Kabul on Sunday after Taliban fighters seized the country’s capital.
The extremists quickly made their way into Afghanistan this weekend as the US and other countries began withdrawing troops from the country.
Heavily criticized by his cabinet members for leaving the country at a very critical time, Mr Ghani pushed back by saying he fled the country to avoid bloodshed.
The original date for the complete withdrawal of US troops in Afghanistan was September 11, marking the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.
