UN Chief Urges Taliban, Other Afghan Forces to Show Restraint
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called upon the Taliban and other parties to the conflict in Afghanistan to show maximum restraint.
"The Secretary-General is following with deep concern the rapidly evolving situation in Afghanistan. He urges the Taliban and all other parties to exercise utmost restraint in order to protect lives and ensure that humanitarian needs can be addressed," his office said in a statement on Sunday, TASS reported.
He also called on all sides to observe the international humanitarian law and protect the rights and freedoms of citizens.
"Conflict is forcing hundreds of thousands to flee their homes. There continue to be reports of serious human rights abuses and violations in the communities most affected by the fighting," the statement says.
"The Secretary-General is particularly concerned about the future of women and girls, whose hard-won rights must be protected. All abuses must stop," the secretary-general’s office said. "He calls on the Taliban and all other parties to ensure that international humanitarian law and the rights and freedoms of all people are respected and protected."
"The United Nations remains determined to contribute to a peaceful settlement, promote the human rights of all Afghans, notably women and girls, and provide life-saving humanitarian assistance and critical support to civilians in need," the document says.
According to the statement, the need for assistance is surging in Afghanistan while the operating environment becomes more restricted due to the escalation of the conflict.
"The Secretary-General calls on all parties to ensure that humanitarian actors have unimpeded access to deliver timely and life-saving services and assistance," the office of the UN chief said.
The Taliban entered Afghanistan’s capital Kabul on Sunday, meeting no resistance, and started to take control of governmental offices and police stations, abandoned by pro-government forces. Sporadic clashes were reported on the city’s outskirts, but no information about casualties is available so far. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has left the country, and, according to latest reports, arrived to Uzbekistan’s capital Tashkent. Later, the Taliban announced it had gained control over all districts of the capital.