VIDEO: Ashraf Ghani’s brother ‘Hashmat pledges support to Taliban’
A videograb shows Hashmat Ghani with Taliban members.
A video has been circulating on social media shared by the hardline Taliban clamming that the brother of former Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, Hashmat Ghani joining its ranks.
The text of his speech on the video read: “Hashmat Ghani announced his alliance and support for the Taliban after meeting with Khalil al-Rahman Haqqani.
"Hashmat is considered a prominent Afghan politician, and he said in his previous statement that "the Taliban has an excellent security strategy, but they must strive to combat poverty and hunger, and extend their relations with the world and neighbours."
Ashraf Ghani said that he left the country to avoid bloodshed, but many officials in Afghanistan and elsewhere criticised him sharply for leaving the country at a critical moment, not to mention the news that he took out a large sum of money with him.
Several senior Taliban leaders met in Kabul to discuss formation of Afghanistan's new government.
The meeting was attended by a spokesman for the Haqqani network, the country's most feared militants.
The Haqqanis have been blamed for some of the deadliest attacks in recent years, claiming the lives of civilians, government officials and foreign forces.
