Ashraf Ghani, the former president of Afghanistan, explained why he fled the country as the Taliban took control last month.

In a statement Wednesday, Ghani said he "left at the urging of the palace security."

Ghani took refuge in the United Arab Emirates. He claims staying in Kabul could have had horrible consequences.

"...to remain risk setting off the same horrific street-to-street fighting the city had suffered during the Civil War of the 1990s," Ghani said.

Ghani refuted rumors that he stole millions of dollars from the country upon his departure.

"These charges are completely and categorically false," he said.

Ghani ended his statement with an apology to the Afghan people for not being able to secure a more prosperous future for the country.