UK tells nationals to leave Afghanistan as Taliban take southern city

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Britain has warned all UK nationals in Afghanistan to leave the country immediately due to the “worsening security situation” as fighting intensifies.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office on Friday updated its website to advise against all travel to Afghanistan.

Afghan security personnel take up positions near Kabul. File photo

"All British nationals in Afghanistan are advised to leave now by commercial means. If you are still in Afghanistan, you are advised to leave now by commercial means because of the worsening security situation," it said.

The Foreign Office warned Britons not to rely on it for emergency evacuation, saying the assistance it could provide was "extremely limited".

Meanwhile, the United Nations' envoy to Afghanistan called on the Taliban to cease its attacks on major cities immediately as she warned the conflict-torn country was heading for "catastrophe."

"The Security Council must issue an unambiguous statement that attacks against cities must stop now," Deborah Lyons told the 15-member council via video-link from Kabul.

The Taliban ambushed and killed the director of Afghanistan's government media centre on Friday in the capital, Kabul, the latest killing of a government official just days after an assassination attempt on the country's acting defence minister.

The slaying comes amid significant Taliban advances.