Paris: When the Taliban swept to Kabul last month, capturing the capital of Afghanistan without resistance, the sole speed of the collapse of the army supported by the West and coached world stunned.
But senior officials in the former Afghanistan government told AFP that lightning victory was not entirely unexpected, and the consequences of the failure of fundamental leadership, rampant corruption, slippery Taliban propaganda – and destroyed “betrayal” by US-led forces with their hasty withdrawals.
One official top close to the power center said that only two days before the Taliban troops entered Kabul on August 15, he was present as former President of Ashraf Ghani held an emergency meeting with senior ministers, and the military and spy of the head.
“It is said that we have enough weapons, ammunition, and financial resources to detain Kabul for two years,” said the official, who claimed to be $ 100 million in cash available to secure Kabul.
“It doesn’t protect the city for two days,” he said.
Officials, which are like most AFP sources talking to this article do not want to be identified for fear of retaliation, said he was not surprised by the capitulation.
“The minister lied to Ghani, told him that everything was fine, so they could maintain their work and their rights,” he said.
As the Taliban run through the country, the circle is debated policy reform.
“We don’t get our priority right,” he added.
“As a city falling, one by one, the National Security Council meets to talk about recruitment and institutional reform.” Taliban troops swept the entire country in just two weeks, seizing the provincial capital often without being fired creatures.
The former high-ranking official government said nothing above showed leadership.
“None of them spoke to the media to convince our people.
None of them went to the field,” he said.
Ghani also made a basic strategic mistake, a nearby advisor he added.
“I suggest we leave the south, because we don’t have enough energy to keep it in the long run.” But the President disagrees.
He said that all government-owned Afghanistan, “he said.
But for the Afghan army, holding everywhere against the Taliban is an impossible task.
Even though billions of dollars from US leaders support, military equipment and training, military capacity has been concave with rampant corruption .
Senior cream officers from what they can, steal salaries from lower rankings, and sell fuel and inventory Sadat, a general was recognized for his courage against the Taliban, which was brought to lead a special forces in Kabul just a few days before his downfall without the important protection of US air support -.
And with the former Air Force of the former government reasoned after foreign contractors retained the fleet pulled out by Washington – Army Lost Keunt.
Strategic Tanan “Bold Taliban.
“Sadat said, wrote in the New York Times.” They could feel victory …
before the agreement, the Taliban did not win any significant battle against the Afghan army.
After the agreement? We lost dozens of soldiers a day.
“The last days of the” real “battle, Sadat added.” We were involved in intense shootouts in the field against the Taliban as US fighter jets circling over the head, effective audience, “he wrote.
Sadat rejected the claim by US President Joe Biden that Afghanistan had collapsed sometimes “without trying” to fight.
“We struggled, brave, to the end,” Sadat said.
“We lost 66,000 soldiers over the past 20 years, a fifth of the forecast forecast Our combat.
“For the soldiers at the forefront, they see a little reason to die when top leaders who run away.” When the Taliban reached the Gate Kabul, the army knew the President left – that this was why they did not fight, “said the former senior officer The military asks not to be named.
At the same time, the Taliban is deployed to use smart media messages to persuade soldiers to give up, damage more morals j Auh.
“We have lost social media wars,” said the first president.
“Taliban who said the soldiers were that they struggled in vain, because at a higher level the agreement was signed.” Abandoned and exhausted, the army looked at the point of fighting at.
On August 15, 2021, Kabul fell without resistance.
Tired and abandoned: Why did Afghan troops collapse
