Ex-Afghan central bank chief hints directions to not fight came from top

There were multiple rumours that directions to not fight were somehow coming from above, said Afghanistan's central bank governor, Ajmal Ahmady who also fled the country.

Ahmady said this has been repeated by Atta Noor and Ismael Khan. These two were the warlords who had taken up the cudgels against Taliban.

Atta Mohammed Noor had earlier said about this conspiracy, "Despite our firm resistance, sadly, all the government & the #ANDSF equipment were handed over to the #Taliban as a result of a big organised & cowardly plot. They had orchestrated the plot to trap Marshal Dostum and myself too, but they didn't succeed."

Ahmady said, it seems difficult to believe, but there remains a suspicion as to why ANSF left posts so quickly. There is something left unexplained.

Ahmady, the central bank governor under the Ghani government posted a timeline on Twitter, outlining his final few weeks before the Taliban takeover.

Ahmady has put the blame on the Afghan government for what has unfolded.

"It did not have to end this way. I am disgusted by the lack of any planning by Afghan leadership," he wrote

"I did not criticize them until now, but key figures Fazly & Mohib were too inexperienced in their roles, & it was President's failure that he never recognized such weaknesses. He himself had great ideas but poor execution. If I contributed to that, I take my share of the blame", Ahmady said.

During last days, I feared not only risks related to Taliban, but fear of transition period once there is no chain of command. Once president's departure was announced, I knew within minutes chaos would follow. I cannot forgive him for creating that without a transition plan, he added.

"It did not have to end this way. I am disgusted by the lack of any planning by Afghan leadership. Saw them at airport leaving without informing others. I asked the palace if there was an evacuation plan/charter flights. After 7 years of service, I was met with silence", he added.

"Saw VP Danish leaving - reportedly for Qatar. By then it was rumoured that VP Saleh had left. Ministers and others were waiting for a Dubai & Emirates flights. Both were cancelled", he said.

--IANS

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