Taliban could ‘possibly’ seize power after US leaves: Trump

Afp, Washington
President Donald Trump on Friday said the Taliban could "possibly" overrun the Afghan government after the United States withdraws from the country, leaving the US-backed authorities to fend for themselves.

"Countries have to take care of themselves," Trump told reporters at the White House. "You can only hold someone's hand for so long."

Asked if the Taliban could eventually seize power, Trump said it's "not supposed to happen that way but it possibly will."

"We can't be there for the next 20 years. We've been there for 20 years and we've been protecting the country but we can't be there for the next -- eventually they're going to have to protect themselves," he said.

Trump said the Afghan government's ability to defend itself from the guerrillas after US forces pull out was unknown.

"I don't know. I can't answer that question," he said. "We'll have to see what happens."

Trump's comments came at a time when dozens of people were killed when gunmen opened fire at a political rally in Kabul on Friday.

The attack, claimed by the Islamic State group, highlights a glaring lack of security in the Afghan capital just 14 months ahead of the scheduled withdrawal of all foreign forces.

It also calls into question a key element of the US-Taliban deal signed February 29 -- whether the Taliban are capable of stopping jihadists such as IS from running amok in Afghanistan after US forces pull out.

In a statement, IS said two brothers had targeted a "gathering of apostates" with machine guns and grenades.

The gunmen inflicted devastating carnage at the crowded event in west Kabul, killing 32 people and wounding 58 others, health ministry spokesman Wahidullah Mayar told AFP.

Interior ministry spokesman Nasrat Rahimi put the toll at 29 dead, with an additional 61 wounded. He said special forces units had carried out clearance operations, eventually killing the two gunmen.

The assault occurred at a commemoration ceremony for Abdul Ali Mazari -- a politician from the Hazara ethnic group, most of whom are Shia Muslims.