As Taliban Encircle Kabul, Afghan President Says He Seeks to Avoid Further Bloodshed

KABUL—Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Saturday reported he started consultations on how to unite the state and prevent more bloodshed, as the Taliban tightened their grip, seizing more provincial capitals.

Mr. Ghani—in his very first public remarks since the Taliban swept as a result of southern and western Afghanistan, capturing the big towns of Kandahar and Herat—said his priority is to remobilize the Afghan security forces that surrendered en masse.

“As a historic accountability, I am seeking to not allow the war that has been imposed on the Afghan people trigger the more killing of innocents, the decline of twenty a long time of achievement, the destruction of public institutions and longstanding instability,” Mr. Ghani reported in a video clip message posted on social media, the country’s flag unfurled at the rear of him.

Mr. Ghani has arrive less than escalating stress from Afghan politicians to resign so that a transitional governing administration headed by somebody else could negotiate a cease-fireplace with the Taliban and prevent the storming of Kabul, the country’s money. He gave no sign he intends to do so, at the very least not promptly.

Afghan negotiators, the Taliban, the U.S. and other nations are engaged in conversations in Doha, Qatar, on how to discover a political settlement to the war, with the removing of Mr. Ghani being a crucial Taliban need.