ANKARA

Afghanistan’s President Ashraf Ghani on Sunday said he left the country to "prevent a flood of bloodshed."

In a statement posted on Facebook, Ghani said "countless patriots would be martyred and the city of Kabul would be destroyed, resulting in a major humanitarian catastrophe in the six-million-strong city" if he had stayed.

"Taliban have won... and are now responsible for the honor, property, and self-preservation of their countrymen," Ghani said.

However, he said, the group did not "win the legitimacy of hearts."

He also vowed to continue to serve the people of Afghanistan "intellectually and through programs,"

Following the departure of Ghani, former President Hamid Karzai, veteran politicians Gulbuddin Hekmatyar and Abdullah formed a council with the aim to ensure a smooth transfer of power.