The Taliban has tightened its territorial stranglehold around Kabul. Refugees from the relentless offensive have flooded the Afghan capital and US Marines have returned to oversee emergency evacuations.
For Kabul residents and the tens of thousands who have sought refuge there in recent weeks, the overwhelming mood was one of confusion and fear.
"It is particularly horrifying and heartbreaking to see reports of the hard-won rights of Afghan girls and women being ripped away," Mr Guterres said. Days before a final US withdrawal ordered by President Joe Biden, individual Afghan soldiers, units and even whole divisions have surrendered - handing the insurgents even more vehicles and military hardware to fuel their lightning advance.Despite the frantic evacuation efforts, the Biden administration continues to insist that a complete Taliban takeover is not inevitable.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Amid Taliban onslaught, US sends troops to Afghanistan for evacuationThe move comes after the Taliban mounted an offensive that rapidly conquered key cities in recent days. 9News
Read more »
'City under siege': Taliban nears Afghanistan's capital as insurgents take more citiesTaliban fighters capture the country's second and third-largest cities, Herat and Kandahar, as insurgents claim half of Afghanistan's provincial capitals and make gains towards Kabul.
Read more »
Taliban closes in on Afghanistan capital
Read more »
Taliban seizes major Afghan cities as the US readies for evacuations from the capitalThe Taliban seized more major cities on Friday as they raced towards full control of Afghanistan and inched closer to Kabul, with the United States preparing to airlift thousands of people a day out of the capital.
Read more »
Final surge of US troops in Afghanistan as cities fall to TalibanThe seizure of Herat marks the biggest prize yet for the Taliban, who have taken 11 of Afghanistan’s 34 provincial capitals as part of a week-long blitz.
Read more »