(CNN) — Afghanistan’s former President, Ashraf Ghani, is in the United Arab Emirates, its foreign ministry said in a statement Wednesday. News of his whereabouts comes days after he fled Kabul as the Taliban closed in on the city.
“The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation can confirm that the UAE has welcomed President Ashraf Ghani and his family into the country on humanitarian grounds,” the ministry said.
Ghani said in a Facebook post Sunday following his departure from Afghanistan that he had chosen to leave in order to avoid bloodshed. The Taliban now face “a new historical test,” he added: “Either they will protect the name and honor of Afghanistan or they will prioritize other places and networks.”
“In order to win legitimacy and hearts of the people, it is necessary for Taliban to give assurance to all the people, tribes, different segments, sisters and women of Afghanistan and to make clear plans and share them with the public,” he wrote.
His departure was precipitated by the United States’ withdrawal from Afghanistan, which opened a clear path for the Taliban to take on and defeat the Afghan security forces. Last week, major cities and provinces fell to Taliban fighters with little to no resistance.
US intelligence analysts had predicted it would take several weeks before the civilian government in Kabul fell to the Taliban. But on August 15, the Taliban took control of the presidential palace in the capital while Ghani quietly made his exit.
Ghani was criticized for leaving Afghans to an uncertain fate under the Taliban.
Afghanistan’s then acting defense minister, General Bismillah Mohammadi, slammed Ghani in a brief tweet Sunday, writing: “They tied our hands behind our backs and sold the homeland, damn the rich man and his gang.”
Through televised briefings, statements and press conferences, Taliban officials attempted to strike a moderate tone as they offered details of their new government.
On Tuesday, they made assurances that retribution was not in the cards, that properties would not be confiscated and that women would be allowed to work and study within the framework of Islamic law.
But their early promises are being undermined by their response to protest.
In the eastern city of Jalalabad, Taliban fighters clashed violently with protesters who removed the group’s flag from the main square and replaced it with the Afghan flag, three witnesses told CNN.
The Taliban fired into the crowd in response, beating up some of the demonstrators.
“I wanted to support the Afghan flag and stop the Taliban from desecrating the Afghan flag,” one protester said. “Then the shooting started and the Taliban surrounded me and threatened and beat me.”
CNN has not been able to independently verify whether there were any casualties and the Taliban have not commented on the incident.
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