Hamdullah Mohib, the National Security Advisor for Afghanistan's previous administration, has accused key Afghan politicians of maintaining ties with the Taliban prior to the fall of Kabul.
Mohib asserted that apart from former President Ashraf Ghani, Vice-President Amrullah Saleh, and a significant number of well-known political figures along with himself, had established relations with the group.
These remarks were made during an interview with Waliullah Malikzai, an Afghan journalist based in the United States. The interview was published on an Afghan-German website earlier this week.
Mohib also refuted claims of coordination and contact with the Haqqani network, allegations that had been reinforced by Ashraf Ghani's brother on Wednesday.
He clarified, "The only time I reached out to Khalil-ur-Rahman Haqqani was when the regime was collapsing. I proposed a meeting in Logar or Wardak, only to discover later he was communicating from abroad."
Hashmat Ghani Ahmadzai, the brother of Ashraf Ghani, on Wednesday had disclosed that Hamdullah Mohib had been in communication with Khalil-ur-Rahman Haqqani, a high-ranking Taliban official, before the Taliban's takeover of Kabul. According to him, the National Security Advisor had engaged in discussions with Haqqani "six times" one month prior to the city's fall.
The former President's brother accused Mohib of betraying Ashraf Ghani's trust and deceiving the Afghan populace, as stated in a post on X.
The fall of the government
Mohib attributed the collapse of the government to the demoralisation of the military forces, stating, "A critical error was our reliance on the physical presence of our soldiers in the trenches, even though they had lost their morale."
He recounted suggesting a strategic retreat to Panjshir to Bismillah Mohammadi, the then Defence Minister, to continue the fight against the Taliban. However, Mohammadi deemed it unfeasible, citing a lack of leadership and the morale present during the initial resistance.
Moreover, Mohib expressed his disapproval of supporting anti-Taliban factions, reasoning that "their armament, commands, and strategies are externally sourced”.
Mohib lamented that individuals closely associated with Ashraf Ghani have since distanced themselves, leaving the former President isolated. Currently, Mohib has chosen to reside in Abu Dhabi, close to Ashraf Ghani.
I was executing Ghani's orders
Mohib addressed political critics who have blamed Ghani for monopolising power and confining the decision-making to a select group around the President. He countered these criticisms by stating, "Decisions attributed to me were often taken under the directives of President Ghani and were not my independent choices."
The former National Security Advisor clarified that he is not pursuing any political role in Afghanistan, pointing out the Taliban's unwillingness to share power. He observed, "The Taliban are currently basking in power, indifferent to any advice."
A leader without a country
For the first time, Mohib disclosed that both Switzerland and Norway had denied asylum to the former President of Afghanistan. He speculated that India would likely have made a similar decision.
Despite Ashraf Ghani's favourable relations with India, he opted not to seek refuge there, given India's policy of engagement with the current power holders in Kabul.
After the Taliban encircled Kabul on August 15, 2021, the former President initially fled to Uzbekistan by helicopter before ultimately seeking asylum in the United Arab Emirates.
