Former Afghan president Ashraf Ghani, who fled the country last month as the Taliban entered Kabul, apologised Wednesday to the Afghan people, saying: "I could not make it end differently".
In a statement on Twitter, Ghani said he left at the urging of the palace security in order to avoid the risk of bloody street fighting, and again denied stealing millions from the treasury.
"I owe the Afghan people an explanation for leaving Kabul abruptly on August 15 after the Taliban expectedly entered the city," he wrote in the statement.
"Leaving Kabul was the most difficult decision of my life, but I believed it was the only way to keep the guns silent and save Kabul and her 6 million citizens. I have devoted 20 years of my life to helping the Afghan people work towards building a democratic, prosperous, and sovereign state — it was never my intent to abandon the people or that vision."
Ghani went on to say that he will address the details of his departure and the events that led to the decision in the coming future.
"But I must now address baseless allegations that as I left Kabul, I took with me millions of dollars belonging to the Afghan people," he clarified, adding that the charges are "completely and categorically false".
The former president wrote that he profoundly appreciates and respects the sacrifices rendered by all Afghans — especially the Afghan soldiers and their families — in the last 40 years.
"It is with deep and profound regret that my own chapter ended in similar tragedy to my predecessors — without ensuring stability and prosperity."
"I apologise to the Afghan people that I could not make it end differently. My commitment to the Afghan people has never wavered and will guide me for the rest of my life."
— With input from AFP