Hundreds of people gather outside the international airport in Kabul, Afghanistan (AP)The Afghan vice president is claiming that after President Ashraf Ghani fled in the face of the Taliban sweep into Kabul over the weekend and with his whereabouts unknown, the vice president is the country’s “legitimate” caretaker president. Clarity: As per d constitution of Afg, in absence, escape, resignation or death of the President the FVP becomes the caretaker President. Am reaching out to all leaders to secure their support & consensus. — Amrullah Saleh (@AmrullahSaleh2) August 17, 2021He wrote that he was “reaching out to all leaders to secure their support & consensus”. As of now, Afghan leaders, including former president Hamid Karzai and peace council chief Abdullah Abdullah, have been negotiating with the Taliban since the fall of Kabul.

Source: Irish Independent August 17, 2021 14:37 UTC