World must unite to combat ‘global terrorist threat’: UN chief

United Nations chief Antonio Guterres has called on the world to work together to "suppress the global terrorist threat in Afghanistan".

"The international community must unite to make sure that Afghanistan is never again used as a platform or safe haven for terrorist organizations," Guterres told an emergency UN Security Council meeting on Afghanistan, reports the Al Jazeera.

Guterres urged "all countries to be willing to receive Afghan refugees and refrain from any deportations". He also urged the Taliban to "exercise utmost restraint" to protect lives.

The UN chief also called on the Security Council to "use all tools at its disposal to suppress the global terrorist threat in Afghanistan" and guarantee that basic human rights will be respected.

"We are receiving chilling reports of severe restrictions on human rights throughout the country. I am particularly concerned by accounts of mounting human rights violations against the women and girls of Afghanistan," Guterres told the 15-member council.

"We cannot and must not abandon the people of Afghanistan," he said.

Ghulam Isaczai, the Afghan ambassador to the UN has called on the UN Security Council "to use every means at its disposal to call for an immediate cessation of violence and respect for human rights and international humanitarian law".

He also said that the UN is "extremely concerned about the Taliban not honouring promises and commitments made in their statements at Doha and other international forums."

"Kabul residents are reporting that the Taliban have already started house to house searches in some neighbourhoods, registering names and looking for people on their target list," Isaczai said at the UN Security Council meeting.

"There are already reports of targeted killings and looting in the city. Kabul residents are living in absolute fear right now."