Profile of embattled Afghan President Ashraf Ghani as Taliban enter Kabul

Record ID: 1632457

  • Title: Profile of embattled Afghan President Ashraf Ghani as Taliban enter Kabul
  • Date: 15th August 2021
  • Summary: Ashraf Ghani was head of Afghanistan's transition process and was present at formal handovers of many parts of the country back to Afghan control in 2011. HERAT, AFGHANISTAN (FILE - JULY 21, 2011) (REUTERS) ASHRAF GHANI, AS THE AFGHAN HEAD OF THE TRANSITION PROCESS, HOISTING FLAG AT HANDOVER CEREMONY VARIOUS OF GHANI ADDRESSING JOURNALISTS Ghani campaigned ahead of the first round of voting ahead of an April 5, 2014, presidential election, the country's first ever democratic transfer of rule. Eight candidates were in the fray but political watchers said it would be a close race among three contenders - two former Afghan foreign ministers, Zalmai Rassoul and Abdullah Abdullah, and former World Bank official Ashraf Ghani. KABUL, AFGHANISTAN (FILE - MARCH 9, 2014) (REUTERS) GHANI WALKING ON STAGE WITH ARMS RAISED GHANI'S SUPPORTERS CLAPPING PHOTO OF GHANI ON SUPPORTER'S CAMPAIGN ROSETTE GHANI ADDRESSING SUPPORTERS
  • 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: LVA001EQF26H3
  • 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.
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