KABUL, 16 August 2021, (TON): President Ashraf Ghani fled Afghanistan on Sunday, a top official said, effectively ceding power to the Taliban, who have entered the capital Kabul and reportedly captured the presidential palace to seal a nationwide military victory in just 10 days.

Ghani flew out of the country, two officials told The Associated Press, speaking on condition of anonymity as they weren’t authorised to brief journalists. Abdullah Abdullah, the head of the Afghan National Reconciliation Council, later confirmed Ghani had left in an online video.

Abdullah said “he left Afghanistan in a hard time, God hold him accountable.”

Afghanistan’s acting defence minister, Bismillah Khan Mohammadi, didn’t hold back his criticism of the fleeing president.

Ghani's countrymen and foreigners alike also raced for the exit, signalling the end of a 20-year Western experiment aimed at remaking Afghanistan.

Two senior Taliban commanders present in Kabul told media the insurgents had taken control of the presidential palace.

Some Taliban leaders, surrounded by dozens of armed fighters, addressed the media from the country’s seat of power.