The United Nations Security Council scheduled an emergency meeting for Monday morning after the Taliban appeared to take control of Afghanistan, where the UN has maintained an extensive aid operation since the early days of the American-led occupation two decades ago.

Secretary-General António Guterres, who had repeatedly condemned attacks on Afghan civilians and implored the Taliban and government representatives to negotiate a peaceful settlement, was expected to speak at the emergency meeting.

The UN employs roughly 3,000 employees who are Afghan and about 720 international staff members in Afghanistan, but roughly half of the international staff have been working outside the country since the pandemic started last year.

UN officials have repeatedly said there were no plans to evacuate any staff members from the country. But Guterres’ spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric, told reporters last week that the organisation was evaluating the security situation “hour by hour.”