United Nations, Aug 6 (UNI) Amid escalating violence in Afghanistan with the Taliban continuing to make gains, the United Nations Security Council, with India holding the presidency, will discuss the security situation in the war-torn country on Friday.

The meeting comes as the Taliban now control large swathes of that country and are confronting Afghan forces in and near several large cities, including Herat, Lashkar Gah and Kandahar.

The meeting will be held under the month-long presidency of India, with its Permanent Representative to the UN, T.S. Tirumurti, chairing the proceedings.

Afghanistan had requested for a UNSC meeting on the deteriorating situation in the country. Afghan Foreign Minister Mohammad Haneef Atmar had called up External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar to request convening of an emergency session on Afghanistan at the UN Security Council.

On August 4, the United Nations Security Council had expressed its deep concern at the “high levels of violence” in Afghanistan following the Taliban’s military offensive and called for an immediate halt to the violence.

It also said the Taliban’s deliberate attacks on civilians and UN personnel may constitute war crimes, and that it does not support restoration of the Islamic Emirate in the country.

Meanwhile, the leaders of five Central Asian countries — Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan – have gathered for talks on Afghanistan in the Caspian Sea town of Awaza in Turkmenistan.

The talks are being held amid concern that the spiraling violence in Afghanistan could spill into their countries.

Fighting in Afghanistan has increased significantly since May when the US-led coalition forces began withdrawing their forces with the pullout expected to be completed this month end.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Aleksandr Bikantov told a press conference in Moscow on August 4 that “the Taliban has no resources to capture and hold major cities, including the country’s capital, Kabul.”

“Their offensive is running out of steam,” Bikantov said, adding however that the security situation in the country “is degrading.”

On August 5, the European Union called for “an urgent, comprehensive, and permanent ceasefire” in Afghanistan.

UN