Latest News
Hamid Karzai left country out of necessity: IEA
Former Afghan president Hamid Karzai left the country out of necessity, deputy spokesman of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA), said on Sunday.
Karzai left on Saturday for the United Arab Emirates on his first trip out of the country since the IEA takeover in August last year.
“A necessity was created for him and he left,” Bilal Karimi said.
Karzai is expected to travel to Germany from the UAE. Omar Zakhilwal, a former finance minister, who accompanied him on the flight to the UAE said they will soon return to Afghanistan.
Karzai left the country on the same day Defense Minister Mullah Mohammad Yaqoob Mujahid headed to the UAE. IEA says the trips are not connected.
Experts meanwhile say allowing Karzai to travel abroad increases the level of trust between politicians and the IEA.
Karzai was among only a few former senior government officials who remained in the country after the IEA takeover.
While Abdullah Abdullah, former reconciliation council chief, has had couple of foreign trips, Karzai was reportedly facing travel restrictions.