the center of saigon was a war zone. the press retreated, in effect that the caravel hotel. and many of the story is mentioned we were seeing was from the care of me. the. ready ready chaos that cobble airport people trying to leave afghanistan as seen, trying to cling to a us military playing at the texas. on the tarmac, after taking charge of the country, taliban leaders insist people have nothing to fear. ah, hello again, peter will be watching out just the are also coming up. my lazy as prime minister has handed his resignation to the king,

but he will continue to run the country for now and more bodies to pull from the rubble after a powerful earthquake and have at least 1300 people lost their lives. ah, it took the taliban 10 days to take over an entire country and emotions to de, ranging from astonishment to fear of what might lie ahead. the helping scenes of chaos at the airport and cobble with large crowds of people desperate to get out while on the streets of the capital armed taliban fighters. it becoming a regular sight. rob mcbride reports from cobble the city of cobble has experience so much up here for decades. and this is another change to get used to. and one that's far from easy to go. most of all of our customers get most of the got the situation for now. no one can say what's happening at all the

people are just lost and confused. in the space of one romantic day, life on the streets feels completely different. states is one of the most obvious signs of the transformation that taken place there literally overnight. the whole of the center of cobbled is protected by these 45 checkpoints. concrete blocks, barriers normally guards carrying automatic weapons and armor humvees with heavy machine guns. on this morning nothing. the people have been getting used to the novelty of a new force in charge. the subject of intense curiosity. as taliban take up checkpoint, duties on the roads of a child to know yet i don't know the law whatsoever used to fear us. they have now seen them. would you id and we are from the soil. i don't want to get down to be destroyed, but there's widespread nervousness about what this view taliban rule will look like

. on. many businesses and shops remain closed that the raw signs of life returning to normal money. how about if this piece then everyone will benefit the businesses of the workers? there are deep rooted fears about the erosion of basic rights in particular for women and girls, despite assurances from the taliban, and about to return to cruel punishments for certain crimes. but many still remember life under the previous taliban government being at least crime free for the most part. one of the vote was that everybody will be, nobody's kid will be kidnapped again for rent. with the, with a sudden collapse of the afghan government, the people of cobble, the new leaders have been thrown together faster than any, had expected. now get together that feeling that way forward into their new reality . so when you were out there on the streets of campbell, at feel almost quite surreal. it is rather strange,

especially this was the 1st day if you like, of this new reality. the 1st full day of taliban control and you saw on the faces of people coming out cobble residents, monday morning, seeing these taliban some of them for the 1st time. some of the older residents, of course, will remember that rule from previously from the mid ninety's through till 200-2001, many people having of course, very bad memories, very bad experiences of that time. the taliban, of course, are insisting this is a different type of rule. now they will be a different type of taliban, more sensitive, et cetera. but that remains to be seen, especially in cobble, if they will meet those words with actions. if they live up to that, and of course there is far more scrutiny now 20 years later because of the communications and technology, the whole world is watching. and the whole world,

of course, will remember what was african stan went through before 2001 and some of the horror . so they are very much at the scrutiny and you do get a sense of that, that they do sense. do feel as though the world is watching and as to those scenes from the airport, rob is anyone actually in charge of the airport? cuz it's, it's a couple of hours since people were trying to get onto, or literally hang on. so those aircraft there is a certain amount of odor a few like, but there are 2 lines that are separated by this chaos in the middle. let me explain. if you have outside the terminal now you have a taliban cord, and so the taliban keeping people away from the terminal, there's still a big pressure that a lot of people would still like to get in there. in fact, we do hear occasionally the odd burst of gunfire. we know that taliban soldiers,

us soldiers, it seems, have been using weapon, mainly hope, mainly to scare away people to, to force them back gunpoint. you also have the us a defensive line inside the term. and inside the, i'm going to pause you, which is we're going live to the united nations in new york because it's special meeting on afghanistan has just kicked off. it was scheduled to take place in about 10 minutes from now. the delegates, members and ambassadors are in the chamber slightly early. that's listening to what's being said in the nation of younger african women and girls, boys and men. if these grave howard, i urge all parties, especially the taliban to exercise utmost restraint to protect lives and to ensure that you made italian needs can be met. conflict as force under the thousands from their homes. the capital city is a huge influx of internal displaced persons from provinces around the country where they felt secure or fled during fighting. i remind all parties of their

obligation to protect civilians and i call on all parties to provide humanitarian with any be to the excess to the live, a family and life saving services and aids. and they also urge all countries to be willing to receive african refugees and refrain from any deputations is the president's. now is the time to stand as when the international community must be united and utilized all available instruments to ensure the following. first, we must speak with one voice to oppose human rights in afghanistan. i call upon the tale abandoned all parties to respect and protect international humanitarian law and rights and freedoms. of all persons receiving chilling reports of severe restrictions on human rights throughout the country. and i am particularly concerned by accounts of mounting human rights violations against the women and

girls of afghanistan, who feared to return to the darkest days. it is essential that the art of wand rides, of african women and girls are protected. they look into the international community for support, the same international community that assured them that opportunities would be expanded, education would be guaranteed. freedoms would spread and rights would be secured. second, the international community must tonight to make sure that i've gone is done is never again used as a platform or safe haven for terrorist organizations. i appeal to the security council and the international community as a whole, to stand together to work together and act together and use all tools in its disposal to suppress the global terrorist threat. enough gun is done and to get in tea. that's basic human rights will be respected regardless of the world's power.

these 2 fundamental principles in which our world, as such a deep and abiding interest must be upheld. mister president, united nations is committed to supporting off guns. we continued to have stuff and offices in areas that have come and tell me about control. i am relieved to report that in large measure, our personnel and premises have been respected. we are just totally bound to continue to do so. and to warner, the integrity and in your little, in viability of diplomatic and voice and premises. the meditative crisis enough, gone down, affects 18000000 people fully health of the countries population. it is vital that the basic services continue to be provided. in the statement the said yesterday, the taliban said that they would work with the exist in his oceans. it is crucial that civil certain salaries continue to be buried. infrastructure is maintained,

airports are opened, and ellison education services continue. united nations presence will adapt to the security situation. but above all, we will stay and delivered in support of the african people in that how it needs. looking ahead, i call for an immediate end to violence for the rights of all our guns to be respected. and what i've got is done to comply with all international agreements to which it is that party is the president africans that approach people with the rich cultural heritage. they have known generations of war and hardships they deserve. our full support. the following days will be pivotal. the world is watching. we cannot and must not abandon the people of afghanistan and i thank you. i thank the sector general for his briefing. i now give the floor to the

representative of god has done. you have the floor piece you would soon see the president excellency, massive secretary general excellency's, ladies and gentlemen. good morning. thank you mister president for this opportunity to speak at yet another council meeting on the situation and upon his done. and for india, the leadership of the council during this critical period we welcome the convening of this emergency session of the security council on the situation in afghanistan. and thank all the council members, particularly sonya and norway as coping holder of fund is done for the roles and organizing this session. mister president, today i'm speaking on behalf of millions of people in up honest on whose faith

hangs in the balance and faced with an extremely uncertain future. i'm speaking for millions of fun girls and women who are about to lose the freedom to go to schools, to work and to participate, and the political, economic, and social life of the country. i'm speaking for thousands of human rights defenders, journalist academics, civil servants, and former security personnel who's lived there at risk for defending human rights and democracy. i'm speaking for thousands of internally displaced people who are desperately need of shelter, food and protection in cobble and other places. as you're witnessing yourself, the situation in cobble as city of about 6000000 people is extremely worrying to say the least. you have seen chaotic scenes at the college international airport as desperate citizens are trying to leave the country. mister president, would x,

we are extremely concerned about parlor bonds, not honoring the promises and commitments made in their statements at doha. and how that international fora. we've witness time and again how taliban have broken, their promise has been commitments in the past. we have seen gruesome images of parliament's mass executions of military personnel and target killing of civilians and kandahar and other big cities. mister president, we cannot allow this to happen in cobbled which have been the last refuge for many people escaping violence and parliament revenge attacks. cobble residents are reporting that taliban have already started house to house searches in some neighborhoods, registering names and looking for people and their target list. there are already reports of target killings and looting into city cobble residents are living in

absolute fear right now. mister president. there is no time for blame game anymore . we have an opportunity to prevent further violence. prevent i've gone stun descending into a civil war and becoming a pariah state. therefore, the security council and the un secretary general should use every means that its disposal to call for an immediate succession of violence and respect for human rights and international humanitarian law. call on the taliban to fully respect the general amnesty offered by them. c, target killing, and revenge attacks and abide by international humanitarian. last urge that no public institutions and service delivery, incense, infrastructure be demolished, including works of art in museums and media institutions. threats that anyone violating human rights of african citizen, an international humanitarian law,

will be held accountable urgently establish a humanitarian corridor for the evacuation of those at risk of talents. retributions and attacks call on neighboring countries upon is done to open the borders and facilitate exit of people trying to escape an entry of goods for humanitarian relief and operations. called for the immediate establishment of an inclusive and representative transitional government that includes all ethnic groups and women representatives which can lead to a dignified and lasting solution to the conflict. bring peace and preserve the gains of the last 20 years, especially for women and girls. stress that the council and the united nations will not recognize any administration that achieves power to force or any government that is not inclusive and represented of its diversity of the country and equivalent state that it does not recognize the restoration of the slimy

cameras as re infirmed, in previous council statement, an agreement established international guarantees for the implementation of a future political agreement. and finally, mobilized urgent humanitarian assistance for the 18000000 people of upon us on particularly doors, displaced by current conflict. the un humanitarian appeal at $1300000000.00 for the main 40 percent funded. we urged the international community to meet the remainder of the flight saving appeal to provide critical 8 to all internally displaced people. at the end, i'd like to thank the united nations and many other international organizations who are on the ground providing life saving humanitarian support and monitoring human rights on the ground. thank you, mister president. i thank the representative of gun is done for the statement. i will know,

give the floor to those council members who wish to make statements. i give the floor to the representative of estonia. you have the floor, please. thank you, mr. president, your washing out 0 ally for you, the, the you and building in new york. we heard from anthony to tara, she was talking about respecting human rights. now it's the time to stand as one we must be united, he said, but significantly, we heard from glum as exams the afghan ambassador to the us. he said he was speaking on behalf of millions of people speaking for women. girls journalists internally displaced people. he said, we've seen how the taliban have broken their promises in the past, sitting in on that discussion, watching it for us from his usual vantage point is our diplomatic editor james base . james, what you make of what we've heard so far? well, i think what you heard from the secretary general was deep concern from the united nations. 2 main areas they were looking at. one was human rights and one was the

possibility of as he describes that terrorist organizations returning to afghanistan. those are clearly the major concerns of the un, which keeps its operation you nama, on the ground in afghanistan, he says, they are staying, but i can tell you the reality right now is they are staying but locked in their compounds because of the security situation and the worries about the security situation will need to check in the coming hours where they're going to start doing some of the humanitarian work. again, i think also important is what we heard then from the afghan on basset to the united nations. yes, he is still the afghan ambassador of the united nations, even though he was sent to new york in that job. but government no longer exists. and i think it's going to be interesting as we hear the other speakers to see whether some of the countries start to nod towards recognizing the taliban. and certainly we're hearing that coming out of moscow and beijing. not a full recognition yet. but the idea that they'll be prepared to work with the

taliban. so listen very carefully in the next hour or so when we have the speeches from the russian and the chinese ambassador, i think it'll also be interesting to hear from some of the u. s. is close allies in afghanistan behind the scenes. i can tell you, they are not saying good things about what's happened. they don't feel they were properly consulted before president biden made his announcement that he was withdrawing the troops. and they don't think that this has been handled in a good way by the u. s. the way that they've, they've handled the withdrawal. we here that publicly. certainly i heard the best on the way in to use the word catastrophe. so it be interesting to see how some of those allies respond. 15 members of the security council, 6 of them at some point, had trips. the u. s. and 5 others troops in afghanistan over the last 20. yes, but james, when the african ambassador is ex, i was talking about establishing a monitoring corridor and calling on african afghanistan's neighboring countries to

open their borders. the reality is that it's too early for that to happen yet because we're still, this is just 24 hours in effect since us ref ghani did a bunk. and that border between afghanistan and pakistan essentially is sealed. afghanistan needs pakistan, pakistan need to a canister chemist on a landlord country and i guess diplomats must understand why is lemme by this choosing to essentially if, if they keep that ball to close the chinese as well. they have a very short border that they share with afghanistan, but there are certain strategic issues, but beijing would be worried about when it comes to what happens with those border crossings. yeah, i mean in terms of people crossing the border, i don't think we're given whether the border with china is kind of still looks a little bit like this, like a fist. well, the board with china is at the very top of that. it's a tiny board and a pretty mountainous region,

but i think the places that they're going to be major refugee flows are potentially into pakistan and iran and both countries of house, millions of african refugees in the past. and i don't think we'll want to publicly signal that they're opening the borders and the and how about humanitarian cordele . and the way the ambassador suggested, because that may lead to a major, major displacement of people across the borders. the u. n. is word literally millions of people might try to leave. i've got a stone, also worth noting that the, the african basset was still talking about the idea of a representative transitional government representing all the different fraction in afghanistan. and remember, that's what they were talking about. and those talks in joe hall, but never got to an agreement. well, i don't think there's any sign of taliban now. going back to that plan, the taliban have all of a chemist on there in total control. and i don't think we're going to give that up . and as far as mr is excited, continuation or continuing role at the united nations,

even if the taliban correct me. if i'm wrong, james, even if the taliban says he does not speak for us, he does not speak for the country. it's not actually done to them. is it? there is a body contained within the united nations that decides this guy is the ambassador for that country. even if that country in quotes doesn't exist in the form, this is existed when he was appointed to the position. there is a procedure and it's likely to be a contentious procedure. i think you need to see who the key players are on the security council and among the general membership of the united nations, which ones start to recognise the taliban. and then ultimately it will go to the general assembly. but the 1st body that looks at something called the credentials committee of the general assembly. and i think that's normally doesn't do very much work. it doesn't really need to do very much work. but on this occasion, with that, the next general assembly starting next month,

i think we're going to have to look at the credentials of afghanistan and the coming back to the. but actually the same time with reminding you, there's a big round going on and to speak about the stuff from me and ma. so potentially we could have to, to representations change was a significant view, james, when the afghan ambassador was saying, no time for the blame game, i mean, not that does not chime at all with those people who are criticizing the bite and administration right now. no. and it doesn't, i don't think chime with a lot of what i'm hearing from those that were part of the gaunt administration. now some of those are blaming the u. s. and some of them are blaming president ghani himself, who clearly was despised by many enough. got a storm including members with cabinet and some of his in a circle as an ineffective leader. at the end, it is interesting that the speech didn't really take a political tone. i think that's because this i've got a basset or now in

a job that represents the government doesn't exist. it's only been in the job for nearly a month. he only presented his credentials to the secretary general, taking up the job at the end of july. and his previous job was un official, so i think it was a somewhat measured speech from him, not a political speech just because of the background of the man. we're currently waiting on the norwegian delegation, the norwegian ambassador wrapping up because we're anticipating the us ambassador is next. james, as far as sort of international diplomatic circles are concerned, critics of the bite and ministration are saying this was or is playing in real time day to day, week so week. now, a colossal foreign policy blunder. it may damage might since it the u. s. standing internationally as a force for good diplomatically, but will it damage the bite and administration in your opinion, james? because when one talks to american colleagues,

american friends will just engages with the debate in america. americans are so weary of going to other people's wars and literally chucking in good zillions of us dollars to fund it, getting involved in nation building, and then pulling out anyway, americans have had enough of this. well, certainly it will damage. i think the u. s. is credibility, empower and prestige in the world concerning its allies and it's out of the threats . but i think you might be right on the point about americans not carrying about afghanistan, not wanting to be in afghanistan, but then again, remember the power of pictures. remember those chaotic scenes that we've seen in recent towers out of cobble airport, those scenes are a desperate for all of us, but also, i suspect, show a humiliation of the us the way it's had to leave. and that will play out on every americans. tv screens in the coming hours. let's see what the us have to say about

this because the us ambassador peter is about to speak. ok, james will talk to you in a minute. thank you so much. thank you, mr. president. secretary, general, good terrorist. thank you for your so bring briefing and for your strong statement your role along with your personal envoy. busy john or no, and special representative lyons and her team on the ground is especially vital now . and as we enter an uncertain and crucial period that requires the international community to speak with a clear and unified voice, the united states deeply appreciate the continued efforts of your nama and other you an actors on the ground in afghanistan that are continuing to provide life saving assistance to africans in need. we also thank norway and estonia for calling this meeting in india for convening had given the events of the past 72

hours. and we welcome the participation of afghanistan to this meeting. over this past weekend, members of the international community joined together to state unequivocally that every afghan should be able to live in safety, security, and dignity. we also called on all parties in afghanistan to ensure safe departures and the protection of human life and property. today i want to reiterate, reinforce size and reassert this call. civilian populations, including journalists and non combatants, must be protected attacks against civilians or civilian objects must stop and the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all african citizens, especially women, girls and members of minority groups must be respected. we also call on all parties to prevent terrorism, and we must all insure afghanistan cannot ever,

ever again be a base for terrorism. we also call on the taliban to permit humanitarian organizations to continue their valuable work in afghan. stan, in addition to the ongoing violence, the afghan people as suffering acutely from the effects of covert 19 and drought. these urgent humanitarian needs must remain top of mine for all of us in the coming hours, days and weeks and beyond. humanitarian personnel and agencies must have safe unhindered access to provide life saving assistance to the increasing numbers of afghans in needs. we are deeply concerned that right now, 8 is not flowing to people in crisis. according to the world food program, more than $500.00 tons of aid are currently sitting at border crossings. taken over

by taliban forces. these a deliveries must remain, must resume immediately. and the world food program must have immediate and sustained safe passage to deliver this much needed assistance. finally and critically, all afghan nationals and international citizens who wish to depart must be allowed to do so safely. president biden has made clear that any action that put us personnel or a mission at risk will be met with a swift and strong military response. the united states promises to be generous and re settling afghans in our own country. and i'm heartened by the pledges we've seen from other nations to do the same. we need to all do more. and the time to step up is now. we urge afghanistan's neighbors and others in the

region and beyond to give refuge to be temporary or permanent to afghans attempting to flee. and together, we must do everything we can to help afghan stands to help afghans who wish to leave and see refuge. i will close where i began, the afghan people deserved to live in safety, security, and dignity. we in the international community, stand ready to assist them. thank you very much. i can't speak of the special meeting of the united nations, the us ambassador, linda thomas greenfield. minority groups must be respected, she said, talking about girls and women people suffering. anyway, she was making the point from cobit 19 corona virus under the bad route and certain areas of afghanistan. and now because a lot of the borders have been sealed, aid is not getting.