Ex-Taliban leader flees for safety

Abdul Sallam Zaeef, a former Taliban leader considered an important interlocutor in negotiations to bring the armed group to the discussion table, has fled the country for safety reasons.
A source close to Zaeef told Al Jazeera that American forces had tried to search his Kabul home twice over allegations of involvement in an international terror plot, but his government-provided bodyguards had prevented their entry.
“He found life in Kabul difficult, and he is currently in the United Arab Emirates,” the source said.
An Afghan intelligence official confirmed that US forces tried to enter Zaeef's home this month, but were prevented.