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Brother of Afghan President Ghani who fled country joins Taliban

The Taliban entered Kabul without a fight on August 15

CAIRO, August 21. /TASS/. Hashmat Ghani Ahmadzai, brother of Afghan President Ashraf Ghani who fled the country, has joined the Taliban (outlawed in Russia) after the movement seized power in Afghanistan, reads the message posted on the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’s Twitter page on Saturday.

"Hashmat Ghani, brother of former President Ashraf Ghani, pledges allegiance to the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan with the help of Khalil al-Rahman Haqqani [nephew of the leader of the Haqqani network]," says the tweet, while a photo attached to it shows Hashmat Ghani shaking hands with Talibs.

After the US announced it was withdrawing troops from Afghanistan and wrapping up its military operation, the Taliban launched a rapid offensive on government forces, entering Kabul without a fight on August 15. President Ashraf Ghani fled the country to avoid bloodshed, as he put it. The UAE on August 18 announced that it had granted asylum to Ghani and his family members.