Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani left country as Taliban enter Kabul

Kabul: Taliban deputy leader Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar arrived in Kabul on Sunday to oversee a peaceful transfer of power, with President Ashraf Ghani to step down, even as reports said that Ali Ahmad Jalali, a former interior minister, would head the new interim government for six months. 

Al Arabiya and other news sites said that Jalali will be the new head of the interim Afghanistan government.

Earlier reports had said that Baradar would be the new Afghan president, after Ghani steps down. Ghani is expected to step down on Sunday, and the swearing in of the new interim government could take place in a day or two, reports said.

Taliban negotiators and Afghanistan officials have reached an agreement for a peaceful transfer of power with talks being held in the presidential palace, hours after the Taliban entered the Afghan capital, following a blitz in which they overran major provincial capitals.

Al Arabiya, quoting diplomatic sources, said Jalali, a US-based academic and former Afghan interior minister, has been tipped to head an interim Afghan administration.

Baradar, meanwhile, arrived in Kabul from Doha, to oversee the transfer of power.

Afghan reconciliation council chief says Ghani stepped down, left country

The head of Afghanistan's Supreme Council for National Reconciliation, Abdullah Abdullah, confirmed on Sunday that President Ashraf Ghani had abdicated and left the country.

In a Facebook video message, Abdullah also called on Afghan forces to ensure security in the country and urged citizens to remain calm as the country is going through a coup. (UNI)