The spokesman of the Taliban government, Zabiullah Mujahid, has firmly rejected US President Donald Trump’s push to take back Bagram air base in Afghanistan in an interview with Sky News.
Zabihullah Mujahid said, “Afghans will never allow their land to be handed over to anyone under any circumstances.”
Talks on Reopening Embassies
The senior Taliban member said his government had held talks with the U.S. government about reopening the Afghan embassy in Washington, D.C., and the U.S. embassy in Kabul. He said: “We have discussed this matter and we wish to see the embassies reopened both in Kabul and in Washington.”
Taliban came back to power following the U.S. withdrawal four years ago, and since then, Russia has been the only country that has openly acknowledged the leadership. When asked about it, Mr. Mujahid denied that they have a legitimacy problem, claiming that many countries have privately acknowledged their leadership.
“It is not only Russia that has openly recognised the Islamic Emirate. Several other countries have extended recognition, though not publicly.”
Trump’s Renewed Demand for Bagram
U.S. President Donald Trump had demanded that Afghanistan’s ruling Taliban hand the country’s Bagram Air Base over to Washington on Sept. 18 during his visit to the United Kingdom. Trump told reporters that the U.S. government was trying to get Bagram back.
Two days later, on Sept. 20, it followed up with a pointed thread on his Truth Social platform. Bad things will happen if Afghanistan doesn’t return the base. Bagram Airbase is located 50 km north of Kabul and is the largest airbase in Afghanistan. Bagram is the most suitable and the largest airbase in Afghanistan.
Strategic Importance of Bagram
It was first built by the Soviet Union in the 1950s and operated as a central hub for every major military power that controlled Afghanistan. Under the US control, Bagram was a key operational center in the war on terror, which accommodated up to 10,000 troops, an air hospital, and a notorious prison.
During the US withdrawal in August 2021, the US forces evacuated and destroyed much of the equipment. Afterwards, the base was taken over by the Taliban. Trump has stressed several times that the US gave the base away for nothing and sees Bagram as a symbolically and strategically important asset.
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The base is also close to China, just 800 km. President Trump views Bagram airbase as a central point for initiating regional surveillance or deterrence against China’s growing influence. The Bagram airbase is also close to China’s nuclear weapons and missile factories.
Analysts: Retaking Bagram ‘Highly Unlikely’
However, experts believe that retaking Bagram base is highly unlikely as it contradicts the US policy of ending its military mission in Afghanistan. Moreover, the logistical and political hurdles make the deployment of the military assets nearly impossible, and the Taliban will never accept foreign troops, as it would crush their legitimacy and risk internal revolt.
Citing the Doha agreement, the Taliban has firmly rejected Trump’s demand. Taliban Deputy Spokesperson Hamdullah Fitrat reiterated, stressed that Washington should remain faithful to its commitments.
Analysts believe that the threat issued by Trump might be a negotiation tactic and is actually meant to secure lesser objectives, such as retrieving abandoned US weaponry equipment. The US, during its withdrawal, had left behind $7 billion worth of arms, which are now under the control of the Taliban.
The talks, the negotiations can also resume limited diplomatic channels as well. However, the latest developments highlight the renewed geopolitical competition over Afghanistan, especially between the US, China, and Russia. However, the Taliban’s engagement with the US might give them unlimited international legitimacy.