Ghani Announces Plans to Revitalize Armed Forces, Consultations

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN - President Ashraf Ghani told Afghans in a recorded message Saturday that he intended to fight the “imposed war” and would make sure that the security forces were up to the task at a time when Taliban seems to be inching closer to the capital, Kabul, by the day.  

“In the current scenario, our top priority is to revitalize the Afghan Security and Defense Forces,” he said in a 2½ -minute message that was shared on official government social media accounts and aired on Afghan public TV Saturday afternoon. The message quashed widespread rumors in Kabul that Ghani was going to announce his resignation and allow Taliban to enter Kabul in return for the militant group announcing a cease-fire.