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<\/p>\nNew York, NY…As the crisis in Afghanistan deepens by the hour, with reports that insurgent forces reached the country\u2019s capital, Kabul, earlier on Sunday, UN Secretary-General Ant\u00f3nio Guterres has urged the Taliban and all other parties \u201cto exercise utmost restraint to protect lives and ensure that humanitarian aid can be addressed.\u201d<\/p>\n
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A\u00a0note issued<\/a>\u00a0to the UN press corps said that Mr.\u00a0Guterres<\/a>\u00a0is following with deep concern the rapidly evolving situation in Afghanistan, as the conflict is forcing hundreds of thousands to flee their homes. There continue to be\u00a0reports of serious human rights abuses\u00a0and violations in the communities most affected by the fighting, added the note.<\/p>\n Protect rights of women and girls<\/p>\n The Secretary-General is\u00a0particularly concerned about the future of women and girls, whose hard-won rights must be protected, the note continued, stressing that \u201call abuses must stop. 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.\u201d<\/p>\n The note goes on to say that the\u00a0need for assistance is surging while the operating environment becomes more restricted\u00a0due to the escalation of the conflict. As such, Mr. Guterres is calling on all parties to ensure that humanitarian actors have unimpeded access to deliver timely and life-saving services and assistance.<\/p>\n UN remains committed to peace in Afghanistan<\/p>\n \u201cThe 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,\u201d concludes the note.<\/p>\n Speaking to reporters at UN Headquarters this past Friday, the Secretary-General\u00a0stressed<\/a>\u00a0that there was\u00a0still potential for stalled intra-Afghan talks taking place in Doha, Qatar, supported by the region and the wider international community, which could lead to a negotiated settlement.<\/p>\n On Monday, the Secretary-General will address the\u00a0UN Security Council<\/a>‘s open meeting on Afghanistan.<\/p>\n Swift capture of Afghan cities<\/p>\n According to latest reports, Taliban forces reached the Afghan capital, Kabul, earlier on Sunday. This followed the\u00a0capture of one provincial capital after another over the past several weeks, ending with the key southern provinces of Kandahar and Helmond on Friday.<\/p>\n The insurgents now control more than two-thirds of the country, just weeks before the planned final withdrawal of US and international troops.<\/p>\n As widespread fighting intensified, meanwhile,\u00a0thousands of Afghans fled their homes\u00a0amid fears the Taliban would again impose a repressive government. The militant Islamist group ruled the country from the mid-1990s until the post 9\/11 attacks US-led invasion, in late 2001.<\/p>\n UN and humanitarian partners respond<\/p>\n Due to an escalation of fighting across the country, many people had been arriving in Kabul and other large cities, seeking safety from the conflict and other threats.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n