Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has promised to stop violence “as a historic mission” amid the Taliban’s advances nationwide and the group’s capturing a key town not far from the capital Kabul.
In a televised speech on Saturday, Ghani said he held urgent talks with local leaders and international partners.
“As your president, my focus is on preventing further instability, violence and displacement of my people,” he said.
The president said that “reintegration of the security and defense forces is our priority, and serious measures are being taken in this regard.”
“I will not let the imposed war on people cause more deaths,” he said.
Without mentioning the Taliban request for his resignation, Ghani said he had begun “extensive consultations at home and abroad” and that the “results” would soon be shared.
He made the remarks as several of his close political associates have surrendered to the Taliban.
The militant group had demanded the president’s resignation for any talks on a ceasefire and a political settlement.
The Taliban seized the country’s second- and third-largest cities on Friday, and are now pushing close to the capital with capturing a town 70 kilometers south of Kabul.
In the meantime, the United States, Britain and several other Western countries are scrambling to airlift their nationals out of Kabul.
A US military official warned before the fall of Pul-e-Alam that there was concern that the Taliban could make a move on Kabul within days.
