Kabul, Aug 17 (IANS): Afghanistan's First Vice President Amrullah Saleh on Tuesday announced that he is in the country and is the "legitimate caretaker President".

President Ashraf Ghani earlier left the country amid the Taliban advance and his whereabouts remain unknown.

Earlier, there were reports that Saleh had also fled with Ghani.

"Clarity: As per d constitution of Afg, in absence, escape, resignation or death of the President the FVP becomes the caretaker President. I am currently inside my country & am the legitimate care taker President. Am reaching out to all leaders to secure their support & consensus," Saleh said in a tweet.

"In my soil. With d people. For a cause & purpose. With solid belief in righteousness. Opposing Pak bcked oppression & brutal dictatorship is our legitimacy," Saleh had tweeted earlier.

"It is futile to argue with @POTUS on Afg now. Let him digest it. We d Afgs must prove tht Afgh isn't Vietnam & the Talibs aren't even remotely like Vietcong. Unlike US/NATO we hvn't lost spirit & see enormous oprtnities ahead. Useless caveats are finished. JOIN THE RESISTANCE," he said in another tweet.