Afghan President Tries to Explain Why He Fled the Country: 'Deep and Profound Regret'

Ashraf Ghani.Photo: Anna Moneymaker/Getty Former Afghan PresidentAshraf Ghaniis offering an explanation some three weeks after heabruptly fled the capital city of Kabulvia helicopter as the Taliban began moving in. “I owe the Afghan people an explanation for leaving Kabul abruptly on August 15 after Taliban unexpectedly entered the city,” the 72-year-old Ghaniwrote in a letterposted to his Twitter account Wednesday. Ghani’s exact whereabouts and condition were murky in the days after he fled Afghanistan with his family in mid-August, as it became clear the Taliban was overtaking the capital of Kabul.

Afghan Refugee Who Risked Life to Protect U.S. Soldiers Overseas Is Shot Dead in N.C. While Driving for Uber

Photo: Go Fund Me On Dec. 30, Ainzargul Totakhil was found dead inside his vehicle from a gunshot wound, his cousin Yousaf Mangal told the station. “He was just doing his daily work to make money and feed his family,” said Mangal. A spokesperson for Uber released a statement to the news station. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up forPEOPLE’s free True Crime newsletterfor breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.

Afghan Women Post Selfies in Colorful Dresses to Protest Taliban Dress Codes: 'Do Not Touch My Clothes'

Photo: AAMIR QURESHI/AFP via Gett To protest aTaliban-mandated dress codethat reportedly requires female students, teachers and school employees to cover up and wear black in the classroom and on campuses, Afghan women around the world are sharing photos of themselves in much more colorful garb. It’s a social media-driven demonstration to show off another side of Afghan culture that the Taliban cannot so easily ignore, these women say. Twitter searches for “#AfghanistanCulture” and"#DoNotTouchMyClothes" bring up hundreds of images of women donning bright colors in bold patterns.

Afghan YouTuber Killed in Airport Bombing Days After Saying Goodbye to Her Viewers: Report

Najma Sadeqi.Photo: Afghan Insider/YouTube Najma Sadeqi, a 20-year-old journalism student who made videos for the YouTube channel Afghan Insider, was killed in what officials have described as an ISIS-K suicide bombing outside of Kabul’s airport Thursday, according to CNN. Two of Sadeqi’s colleagues confirmed her death. She was among approximately 170 Afghans killed in the attack, which also killed 13 U.S. service members and injured at least 200 others,The New York Timesreported.

Afghanistan C-17 Crew Shares Story Behind Viral Evacuation Photos: 'Every Life Matters'

Members of the C-17 flight crew that went viral while helping evacuate people from Afghanistan in August are opening about the mission for the first time.In an interview forNBC Nightly News with Lester Holton Friday, members of the crew offered insight into the chaos that unfolded during the withdrawal after the Taliban took control of the county.On Aug. 15, the crew took more than 800 people onto the C-17 — which typically carries around 350 individuals — as those looking to escape Afghanistan flooded the tarmac.