- Title: Profile of embattled Afghan President Ashraf Ghani as Taliban enter Kabul
- Date: 15th August 2021
- Summary: SUPPORTERS SEATED GHANI WAVING TO SUPPORTERS (SOUNDBITE) (Dari) AFGHAN PRESIDENT, ASHRAF GHANI, SAYING: "My second reason for standing as a candidate is, to re-establish Afghanistan's role as a central crossroad for Asia and centre of civilization." SUPPORTERS SEATED SUPPORTERS TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS / GHANI LEAVING CEREMONY Afghan President Ashraf Ghani was sworn in for a second term. The ceremony was disrupted by the sound of two rockets hitting the edge of the presidential palace compound in the capital Kabul, Reuters witnesses said, but there was no word of any casualties and he continued his speech. KABUL, AFGHANISTAN ( FILE - MARCH 9, 2020) (REUTERS) GHANI ARRIVING AT SWEARING-IN CEREMONY CEREMONY AUDIENCE SEATED VARIOUS OF PRESIDENT GHANI SHAKING HANDS WITH SAYED YUSUF HALIM CHAIRMAN OF THE AFGHANISTAN'S SUPREME COURT GHANI SPEAKING ON PODIUM AS ROCKETS EXPLOSIONS BEING HEARD/ WOMEN ESCAPING THE CEREMONY (AUDIO OF EXPLOSIONS) ROCKET EXPLOSIONS BEING HEARD / CROWED LEAVING THE CEREMONY (AUDIO OF EXPLOSIONS) PEOPLE LEAVING GHANI TELLING EVERYONE TO STAY CALM PRESIDENT GHANI RAISING HANDS OF HIS VICE-PRESIDENTS, AMRULLAH SALEH (LEFT) AND SARWAR DANISH (RIGHT)AT CEREMONY GHANI LEAVING THE CEREMONY/ AUDIENCE CHANTING Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan held talks with Ghani in his first visit to Kabul since taking office. The talks came at a time when peace talks between the Afghan government and Taliban representatives had stalled and violence was on the rise. KABUL, AFGHANISTAN (FILE - NOVEMBER 19, 2020) (REUTERS) GHANI AND PAKISTANI PRIME MINISTER IMRAN KHAN GREETING EACH OTHER GHANI AND KHAN WALKING PAST HONOUR GUARD GHANI AND KHAN POSING FOR PHOTOS / ENTERING PALACE GHANI AND KHAN SEATED INSIDE PALACE GHANI AND KHAN WALKING TO PODIUM GHANI SPEAKING GHANI AND KHAN LEAVING NEWS CONFERENCE AFGHAN AND PAKISTAN FLAGS FLYING AT PRESIDENTIAL PALACE
- Embargoed: 29th August 2021 13:16
- Keywords: Ashraf Ghani preliminary results presidential election slim majority
- Location: MAZAR-I-SHARIF, HERAT, KABUL, KUNDUZ, KHOJA GHAR, AFGHANISTAN / BRUSSELS, BELGIUM / LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM/ WASHINGTON D.C., U.S. / RAWALPINDI, ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN/ MUNICH, GERMANY / BISHKEK, KYRGYZSTAN
- City: MAZAR-I-SHARIF, HERAT, KABUL, KUNDUZ, KHOJA GHAR, AFGHANISTAN / BRUSSELS, BELGIUM / LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM/ WASHINGTON D.C., U.S. / RAWALPINDI, ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN/ MUNICH, GERMANY / BISHKEK, KYRGYZSTAN
- Country: Afghanistan
- Topics: Asia / Pacific
- Reuters ID: LVA00JEQF26H3
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Embattled Afghan President Ashraf Ghani was holding talks with the U.S. peace envoy and top NATO officials, a palace official said on Sunday (August 15) after Taliban fighters entered Kabul.
The arrival of the Taliban in the Afghan capital capped a lightning advance by the Islamist militants who were ousted from Kabul 20 years ago by U.S.-led forces after the Sept 11 attacks on the United States. A Taliban spokesman said in a statement that the group was in talks with the government for a peaceful surrender of the capital.
The collapse of the Afghan government defence has stunned diplomats - just last week, a U.S. intelligence estimate said Kabul could hold out for at least three months.
Power would be handed over to a transitional administration, the government's acting interior minister, Abdul Sattar Mirzakawal, said in a tweet on the Tolo news channel. "There won't be an attack on the city, it is agreed that there will be a peaceful handover," he said without elaborating.
On Saturday (August 14) Ghani addressed the nation for the first time since the Taliban takeover gained momentum and said he was in talks with various parties. - Copyright Holder: FILE REUTERS (CAN SELL)
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2021. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
