Through interviews with insiders, BBC News has pieced together an account of how Afghanistan’s government unravelled.
As day broke there was growing unease among residents as reports emerged of Taliban fighters arriving at the city gates, and queues had begun to form at the banks and airport. But President Ghani's inner circle still believed that a fall to the Taliban was not imminent.Confidence would have been bolstered by an agreement brokered the previous day by one of the president's top aides, Salam Rahimi.
"Our aim was to convince the Pakistani government to mediate and avoid bloodshed in Afghanistan," he said. "There were queues outside banks as people rushed to get dollars out; there were queues at the airport as people tried to get in; and huge amounts of traffic." Eventually, the delegation made it onto its Pakistan International Airlines flight. But the plane was ordered by air traffic control not to take off, and to await further instructions.
Sources inside the palace told us that around noon, Mr Mohib began to forcefully push for an evacuation. An hour previously, shots had been heard outside the palace. Mr Ghani himself was reluctant to leave, according to those there. Mr Mohib told the president that there was an imminent threat to his life.
Around 15:30, President Ghani and his close aides, including Mr Mohib and Mr Fazly, left the palace on board the helicopters. "I could literally count a couple of dozen very high ranking officials, including ministers, sitting and waiting next to the tarmac," a senior government official said. "Everyone was asking each other about President Ghani's whereabouts. But it seemed like nobody knew where he was."
"It was not my decision to leave Kabul. It was the decision of my close security team. If I'd have stayed, there would have been bloodshed," he said.
Danmark Seneste Nyt, Danmark Overskrifter
Similar News:Du kan også læse nyheder, der ligner denne, som vi har indsamlet fra andre nyhedskilder.
Afghan failures show ‘global Britain’ is just an empty slogan | LettersLetters: Mark Newbury highlights the lack of support for refugees, David Beswick writes of the mismanagement of Afghanistan evacuations, and Dr Richard Carter draws attention to the UK’s diminishing influenc
Læs mere »
Afghan raised under Taliban's music ban now teaches millions to play pianoHe is devastated for the millions of Afghan children who will too be raised ‘banned from music, innovation and thinking independently’.
Læs mere »
Afghan refugees can soon expect Britain’s warm welcome to turn into cold comfort | Nesrine MalikThe reality is leaving people to languish in the Home Office’s cruel immigration system, says the Guardian columnist Nesrine Malik
Læs mere »
‘Afghan children wore their best clothes’: RAF airman reflects on Kabul rescue flight‘There are no words to describe how humbling it is,’ says RAF loadmaster
Læs mere »
Emails prove State Dept refused to approve Afghan evacuation flightsThe emails, reportedly sent by an unnamed State Department official on September 1, show the department turning its back on the charter flights even as Biden officials claimed the opposite.
Læs mere »