US allies urge the Taliban to let Afghans leave as they cement Afghanistan takeover
The United States has led more than 65 nations in urging the resurgent Taliban to let Afghans leave the country, warning of accountability for any abuses.
"The United States joins the international community in affirming that Afghans and international citizens who wish to depart must be allowed to do so," Secretary of State Antony Blinken wrote on Twitter as the State Department released a statement signed by its close allies.
"Those in positions of power and authority across Afghanistan bear responsibility - and accountability - for the protection of human life," the joint statement said.
The United States joins the international community in affirming that Afghans and international citizens who wish to depart must be allowed to do so. Roads, airports, and border crossing must remain open, and calm must be maintained. https://t.co/lsNdsPETsW
â€" Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) August 16, 2021Meanwhile the UN has called on the Taliban to exercise restraint, and particularly to protect the rights of women and girls as they cement their grip on the country.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres "urges the Taliban and all other parties to exercise utmost restraint in order to protect lives and ensure that humanitarian needs can be addressed," said a UN statement.
Conflict in Afghanistan is forcing hundreds of thousands to flee amid reports of serious human rights violations.
All abuses must stop.
International humanitarian law and human rights, especially the hard-won gains of women and girls, must be preserved.
â€" António Guterres (@antonioguterres) August 15, 2021He was "particularly concerned about the future of women and girls, whose hard-won rights must be protected," the statement added.
The United Nations Security Council will hold a meeting on Monday on Afghanistan.
The meeting will be held at 10am in New York (midnight in Australia), according to the Security Council's schedule.
Mr Guterres is to report on the situation in Afghanistan at the meeting, which has been requested by Estonia and Norway, the delegations of the two non-permanent members of the Security Council said.
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani acknowledged Sunday that the Taliban had "won" hours after fleeing his country to, he said, "prevent a flood of bloodshed".
The Taliban have reconquered Afghanistan in a lightning surge 20 years after the US invasion and took control of Kabul on Sunday, more than two weeks before the 31 August deadline set by President Joe Biden to complete the withdrawal of American troops from the country.
More to come...
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