Russia is working with other countries to hold an emergency UN Security Council meeting on Afghanistan as the Taliban completes its military takeover of the country, foreign ministry official Zamir Kabulov told Russian news agencies.

"We are working on this," Kabulov said, adding that the meeting will take place.

Russia is one of five permanent members of the UN Security Council, along with the United States, Britain, France, and China.

Kabulov also said Moscow does not plan to evacuate its embassy in Kabul, saying the Taliban had offered Russia and other countries security assurances for their missions in Afghanistan.

However, the US and other NATO countries are in the process of evacuating their nationals from Kabul and are shutting down their embassies in Kabul.  

The UK has decided to call a Parliament meeting to discuss the situation in Afghanistan and debate the government's response to the crisis. MPs broke up for their summer recess on 22 July and had not been due to return until 6 September.

Meanwhile, Pope Francis called on Sunday for dialogue to end the conflict in Afghanistan so that its people can live in peace, security and reciprocal respect.

Francis made the appeal in his noon address as Taliban insurgents reached the outskirts of Kabul and the United States evacuated its diplomats from its embassy by helicopter.

"I join in the unanimous worry about the situation in Afghanistan. I ask you to pray along with me to the God of peace so that the din of weapons ends and that solutions can be found around a table of dialogue," he said to pilgrims and tourists in St. Peter's Square.

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