Amrullah Saleh had earlier, too, said that people like him cannot abandon Afghanistan come what may

New Delhi: Afghanistan has not simply disappeared merely because the US forces, which had controlled considerable parts of it since 2001, have now left, Amrullah Saleh, the former Vice-President of the war-torn country, has said. The Taliban's takeover earlier this month only reflects on the "superpower's" own stature, according to him.

In a Twitter post, Mr Saleh, the self-proclaimed "caretaker" President of Afghanistan, mocked the US, dubbing it "mini power", for apparently leaving his country in trouble.

"The Taliban are an unpopular proxy force and hated. That is why the whole country wants to escape from them. A superpower decided to be mini power. That is OK."

The former Vice-President posted his comments, quoting Canadian columnist Tarek Fateh's tweet that carried a video of one of Mr Saleh's television interviews.

His comments today came a day after the last US soldier left Afghan soil, ending nearly 20 years of direct US role in the country.

The last days of the US presence, which also saw the Taliban terrorists' abrupt take over of power, were chaotic with hundreds of people -- Afghans and others -- looking to make their way out of the country fearing reprisal from the Islamists. Scores of people have been killed in violence, including suicide bombings and gunfire, and in trying to flee the country.

In the television interview cited by Mr Fateh, too, Mr Saleh is seen saying that even if the US forces leave, people like him would continue to fight the Taliban terrorists since they cannot abandon their own country.