'Superpower decided to be mini power': Amrullah Saleh slams US over Afghanistan withdrawal

Amrullah Saleh, Afghanistan's self-proclaimed acting president, has lashed out at the United States of America after it withdrew its last soldier from the war-torn country.

Taking to Twitter, Saleh  who has vowed to fight hardliners — wrote, "A superpower decided to be mini power that is OK."

Not one to mince words, he also hit out at the Taliban, calling them an “unpopular proxy force” which was “hated”. “That is why the whole country wants to escape from them,” he added.

Saleh declared himself as the acting president of the country after the Taliban takeover and has joined hands with the Panjshir resistance forces. He said only meaningful negotiations will be accepted.

Saleh, along with Ahmad Massoud, the son of powerful military commander Ahmad Shah Massoud who took on the Taliban in 1990s, has been giving a tough fight to the Sunni Pashtun fighters.

Saleh hasn’t been quiet on the Taliban takeover and has repeatedly put the blame on the US 'political misjudgment' and Pakistan's abetment of the Taliban.

"There were people in our government who were not aware of the situation and were taking everything for granted... But in the end, if a superpower decides to go this way or that way, there is so little or nothing we could do to change their attitude. I do accept that I have been a major player and a person of significance but did we have any say in the US decision? No!" he was quoted as saying to CNN-News18.

The US on late Monday completed its withdrawal from Afghanistan, thereby ending the longest war in American history. After its hasty withdrawal, the US has also suspended its diplomatic presence in Afghanistan.

US secretary of state Antony Blinken announced that the country has now moved its diplomatic operations to Qatar. Blinken has asserted that the decision was taken considering the turbulent security situation in Afghanistan.

However, he has also maintained that the US will help "every American who wants to leave Afghanistan".

In addition, Blinken has informed that the US remains committed to supporting humanitarian aid to the Afghan people through independent organisations, like United Nations agencies and NGOs.

With iputs from agencies