New Delhi

The United Nations Security Council has clearly told the Taliban that it does not support the restoration of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan and asked both the warring sides to work out a peaceful solution to the ongoing violence.

The reference is to the past rule of Taliban on Kabul and its declared goal for the future.

A statement issued by the Security Council President T S Trimutri said the members condemned in the strongest terms the deplorable attack against the United Nations compound in Heart that killed an Afghan security forces guard and injured several thers.

“The members of the Security Council expressed their deep concern about the high levels of violence in Afghanistan following the Taliban’s military offensive, and called for an immediate reduction of violence. 

They also expressed deep concern about the number of reported serious human rights abuses and violations in communities affected by the ongoing armed conflict across the country,” the statement said.

In Afghanistan's several cities the local took out processions against the Taliban. News agency Pojhwok posted this video from Kabul on Twitter: 

الله اکبر
کابل pic.twitter.com/6HELDul3H1

— Pajhwok Afghan News (@pajhwok) August 3, 2021

A woman MP Marian led protests. The video was posted on twitter:

Afghan member of parliament @Mariamistan death to Imran Khan, death to Qureshi https://t.co/FRuDeMTewE

— BILAL SARWARY (@bsarwary) August 3, 2021

The Security Council said, “the deliberate attacks targeting civilians, UN personnel and UN compounds may constitute war crimes” It called for the urgent and imperative need to bring the perpetrators to justice.

The members condemned in the “strongest terms all instances of terrorism and deliberate targeted attacks against civilians. They recalled that all parties must respect their obligations under international humanitarian law in all circumstances, including those related to the protection of civilians.”

The members called on both the Islamic Republic and the Taliban to engage meaningfully in an inclusive, the Afghan-led and the afghan-owned peace process in order to make urgent progress towards a political settlement and a ceasefire.

Recognising that sustainable peace can be achieved only through a comprehensive and inclusive Afghan-led, Afghan-owned peace process that aims at a permanent and comprehensive ceasefire, as well as an inclusive, just and realistic political settlement to end the conflict in Afghanistan.

The UNSC called for "full, equal and meaningful participation of women in this regard."

In the meanwhile Afghanistan’s foreign minister Hanif Atmar has called for a special session of United Nations Security Council amidst escalating violence in the country. Atmar called his Indian counterpart J Jaishakar and asked him to pressurize the world into ousting the Taliban.

In Afghanistan, in several cities procession led by leaders were taken out against the Taliban. Atmar led a procession in which people raised slogans against Taliban.