A senior Taliban official on Tuesday rejected former U.S. President Donald Trump’s demand that Afghanistan return Bagram air base, insisting the facility is an inseparable part of the country.
In an interview with Al Arabiya English, Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said:
“Bagram is part of Afghanistan’s territory. It is no different from any other piece of Afghan land. We will never agree to bargain away or hand over any part of our country.”
He added that Afghans are “extremely sensitive about occupation,” stressing:
“No Afghan will ever allow their land to be taken or controlled by outsiders – not even an inch.”
Located north of Kabul, Bagram was the largest U.S. military installation in Afghanistan and the hub of America’s two-decade war against the Taliban. U.S. forces abandoned it in July 2021, just weeks before the Taliban’s return to power.
Trump on Saturday threatened consequences if the base is not returned.
“If Afghanistan doesn’t give Bagram Airbase back to those that built it, the United States of America, BAD THINGS ARE GOING TO HAPPEN!!!” he posted on Truth Social.
Responding to the threat, Mujahid said:
“For twenty years under U.S. occupation, Afghanistan experienced ‘bad things’ – not for a day, but continuously for two decades. The Americans should not forget that bad actions trigger bad reactions. In the end, they were forced to withdraw their troops. Afghanistan is not a country that can be occupied or subdued. They should engage with Afghans politically, diplomatically, and rationally.”
Mujahid confirmed ongoing talks with U.S. officials but stressed they have focused on prisoner exchanges, diplomatic relations, and economic investment – not Bagram, which he described as “non-negotiable.”
Trump claimed last week that Washington was trying to regain Bagram because the Taliban “need things from us.”
Asked about this, Mujahid acknowledged that Afghanistan seeks foreign investment, including from the U.S., but dismissed any suggestion that Bagram was up for discussion.
“Afghanistan will never put forward demands that involve relinquishing part of its territory in return. No such request has been made from our side, nor is there any need for it,” he said.
Bagram’s Proximity to China
Trump has cited the base’s location near China as a strategic reason for wanting it back, claiming:
“One of the reasons we want the base is, as you know, it’s an hour away from where China makes its nuclear weapons.”
Mujahid dismissed the claim as inaccurate.
“In reality, it is hours away by air from China. They have received incorrect information,” he said.
He added that Afghanistan seeks balanced ties with all major powers:
“Just as we want relations with China, we also want ties with the U.S. Just as we want ties with Russia, we want ties with Europe. Afghanistan will not allow its territory to become a battlefield between rival powers.”
Reiterating that Bagram is “no different from any other part of Afghanistan,” he insisted the base would never be allowed to belong to “China, the U.S., or any other power.”
Future Relations with Washington
Mujahid said Afghanistan remains open to engagement with the U.S.
“Afghanistan has already taken the necessary steps for relations. It now depends on how the U.S. responds. If they value rationality, diplomacy, and economic cooperation, Afghans are ready to build good relations with them, as we seek with other countries.”
“But if they insist on Bagram, coercion, or occupation, then Afghanistan has its own position. Defending our country, our national honor, and our people’s values was our duty in the past twenty years – and it will remain our duty in the future.”
At its peak under U.S. control, Bagram resembled a small town, complete with fast-food outlets and supermarkets. It also hosted high-profile visits, including by President Barack Obama in 2012 and Trump in 2019.
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