Afghan president joins stampede to flee country as Taliban close in

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani flew out of the country, two officials told the Associated Press, speaking on condition of anonymity as they were not authorised to brief journalists. Picture: AP Photo/Rahmat Gul

Afghanistan’s embattled President Ashraf Ghani has fled the country as the Taliban moved further into the capital city, Kabul.

His countrymen and foreigners alike raced for the exit, signalling the end of a 20-year Western experiment aimed at remaking Afghanistan.