Amrullah Saleh, Afghanistan’s Vice President, declares himself caretaker president and vows to fight the Taliban
Kabul: Afghanistan’s First Vice President Amrullah Saleh announced on Tuesday that he has arrived in the country and is the country’s “legitimate caretaker President.”
President Ashraf Ghani had previously fled the country as the Taliban advanced, and his whereabouts are unknown.
Earlier, it was reported that Saleh had fled with Ghani.
“Clarification: According to the Afg constitution, the FVP becomes the caretaker President in the absence, escape, resignation, or death of the President. I am currently inside my country and the legitimate President. I’m contacting all leaders to gain their support and consensus “Saleh stated this in a tweet.
“In my soil. With d people. For a cause & purpose. With solid belief in righteousness. Opposing Pak bcked oppression & brutal dictatorship is our legitimacy,” Saleh had tweeted earlier.
It is futile to argue with @POTUS on Afg now. Let him digest it. We d Afgs must prove tht Afgh isn't Vietnam & the Talibs aren't even remotely like Vietcong. Unlike US/NATO we hvn't lost spirit & see enormous oprtnities ahead. Useless caveats are finished. JOIN THE RESISTANCE.
— Amrullah Saleh (@AmrullahSaleh2) August 17, 2021
Since the fall of Kabul, Afghan leaders, including former President Hamid Karzai and peace council chief Abdullah Abdullah, have been negotiating with the Taliban.