Former Afghan president explains abrupt exit from country amid Taliban takeover

Former Afghan President Ashraf Ghani in a statement on Wednesday defended his decision to flee Kabul in August as the Taliban closed in.

He said leaving Afghanistan's capital was the "most difficult decision" of his life but he believed it was the only way to save the city of millions. "I have devoted 20 years of my life to helping the Afghan people work toward building a democratic, prosperous, and sovereign state –  it was never my intent to abandon the people or that vision," Ghani said.