As the Islamic extremist militant Taliban occupied major cities in Afghanistan one after another, fears of civilian casualties and calls for peace negotiations poured in.
According to Reuters and AFP news agency, the UN is particularly concerned about the possibility that clashes between the Taliban and Afghan government forces could lead to street fighting.
“If a street fight breaks out in a large city like Kabul, it will have a catastrophic impact on civilians,” said UN spokesperson Stephan Dujarric.
The Taliban has recently been rapidly expanding its power, taking advantage of the power vacuum after the US military and other foreign garrison troops completed their withdrawal in April this year.
In Afghanistan, Kandahar, the second largest city in Afghanistan and the spiritual home of the Taliban, was captured.
According to the United Nations, 5,183 civilians were killed or injured in Afghanistan between January and June this year, of which 39% were attributed to the Taliban and 23% to the Afghan government forces.
As fears of civilian casualties grew, diplomats from the United States, China and the European Union issued a statement after meeting with the Afghan government and Taliban representatives in Doha, Qatar, reaffirming that they would not recognize a government established by military force.
They urged the Taliban and the Afghan government to stop the violence and take action to reach a political agreement and a comprehensive ceasefire as soon as possible.
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