The bank took the move just days after the International Monetary Fund (IMF) suspended payments to Afghanistan.

The Biden administration has also frozen the assets of Afghanistan's central bank that are held in the US, reports BBC.

"We have paused disbursements in our operations in Afghanistan and we are closely monitoring and assessing the situation in line with our internal policies and procedures," a World Bank spokesperson told the BBC.

"We will continue to consult closely with the international community and development partners. Together with our partners we are exploring ways we can remain engaged to preserve hard-won development gains and continue to support the people of Afghanistan," the spokesperson said.

The Taliban, meanwhile, has directed the US government to stop evacuating skilled Afghan nationals from the country.

"We ask them to stop this process," spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said at a press conference in Kabul as quoted by AFP recently.