Kabul - Fourteen members of United Nations Security Council arrived on a three-day trip in Kabul on Monday to assess Afghanistan's progress in peace building, reconstruction, security and governance, the UN body said.

The delegation, which is headed by Giulio Terzi, ambassador of Italy in the Security Council, was scheduled to meet President Hamid Karzai and other government leaders.

"Included on their agenda are meetings relating to security, governance, human rights, economics and social development," the UN office in Kabul said in a statement.

The team would also assess the status of international pledges and commitments made by participants at the Paris Conference, held in June this year.

The Afghan government asked for 50 billion dollars for the development of the country for five years, but the international community, including the US, Japan, Germany and Britain, pledged 20 billion dollars.

The Security Council team will also assess the security situation in Afghanistan and get first-hand information on the fight against terrorism and extremism. Taliban militants have intensified their attacks in recent months.

The insurgency so far this year has left more than 4,000 people - mostly insurgents, but including hundreds of Afghan and foreign security forces and Afghan civilians - dead.

The visit comes amid widespread Afghan frustration with NATO forces, who they blame for mounting civilian casualties during their anti-insurgent operations. NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) operates under UN Security Council's mandate. (dpa)