Dubai: In a video streamed on Facebook, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani denied reports he took large sums of money with him as he fled the presidential palace after the Taliban captured Kabul. In his first public comment after fleeing Afghanistan, Ghani reiterated that he had left Kabul to prevent bloodshed.

"Had I stayed there, an elected president of Afghanistan would have been hanged again right before the Afghans' own eyes," Ghani said.

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"Kabul should not be turned into another Yemen or Syria over power struggles so I was forced to leave," Ghani said.

Ghani also denied reports on rumours he left the country with millions of dollars. He said, "I left with just a waistcoat and some clothes. The personality assassination against me has been ongoing, saying that I have taken money with me".

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) confirmed that the Gulf nation hosted Ashraf Ghani and his family “on humanitarian grounds”. "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 in a brief statement.

After assuring a strong Islamic and inclusive government in the press conference held in Kabul, Taliban commander and senior leader of the Haqqani Network armed group, Anas Haqqani, has met former Afghan President Hamid Karzai for talks. In a political overture to ‘connect wit all sides’, Taliban met Hamid Karzai who was accompanied by Abdullah Abdullah- the old government’s main peace envoy. Abdullah was Chairman of the Supreme National Reconciliation Council.