A Taliban official has rejected the concept that the U.S. could retake a pivotal airbase in Afghanistan after President Donald Trump indicated a desire to regain control over it.
Zakir Jalal, an official in the Taliban's foreign ministry, emphasized that discussions prior to the Taliban's return to power made it clear that any U.S. military presence in Afghanistan was completely unacceptable.
This statement follows Trump's remark about the Bagram airbase, which was the center of NATO operations in Afghanistan for two decades. He noted that the U.S. might seek to take the base back, suggesting it was necessary due to U.S. needs.
The airbase was transitioned to the Afghan military shortly before the Taliban took control of the country.
In recent comments during a press conference in the UK, Trump claimed the U.S. gave it to them for nothing. The withdrawal of U.S. troops was part of a deal finalized during Trump's first administration in 2020, which was completed under President Biden in 2021.
Trump added that his rationale for maintaining Bagram was not just about Afghanistan, but positioned with respect to China. He mentioned on Thursday that its location was critical, stating it's merely an hour's journey from where China develops its nuclear weapons.
However, investigations have not substantiated Trump’s assertions about China’s military presence at the base, which the Taliban has also denied. Furthermore, a series of satellite images showed minimal activity at Bagram following the Taliban's resurgence.
A Chinese foreign ministry representative stressed respect for Afghanistan’s sovereignty, declaring that Afghanistan's future should be determined by its own people. Jalal reiterated on social media that military presence by foreign powers has historically been unwelcome in Afghanistan, noting that such a possibility was categorically dismissed during the Doha negotiations. Dialogues between the U.S. and Taliban have continued, centering recently on American citizens still in Afghanistan.
