Washington, DC [US], September 21 (HBTV): US President Donald Trump has demanded that Afghanistan return control of Bagram Air Base to Washington, warning the Taliban government that ‘bad things are going to happen’ if they do not comply.
‘If Afghanistan doesn’t give Bagram Airbase back to those that built it, the United States of America, BAD THINGS ARE GOING TO HAPPEN!!!’ Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.
Bagram Air Base has been under Taliban control since the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan in 2021. Trump has repeatedly said he would have retained control of the base, citing its strategic importance near the Afghanistan–China border.
During his recent visit to London, Trump said the US is seeking to regain control of the air base. ‘We were going to leave Afghanistan, but we were going to leave it with strength and dignity, and we were going to keep Bagram, the big air base – one of the biggest air bases in the world,’ he said at a joint news conference with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. ‘We gave it to them for nothing. We’re trying to get it back, by the way,’ he added.
According to Tolo News, several US lawmakers have supported Trump’s push, calling his stance on Bagram both strategic and correct.
China, however, dismissed Trump’s remarks. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said: ‘China respects Afghanistan’s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity. The future of Afghanistan should be in the hands of its people. We call on all parties to play a constructive role in regional peace and stability.’ He added that fueling confrontation in the region lacked public support.
The Islamic Emirate has not yet issued an official response. Earlier, however, Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi had said: ‘Not even an inch of Afghan soil is acceptable for foreign military presence. This message must reach President Trump and other countries. Engagement will only be political and economic.’
Zakir Jalaly, head of the second political department of the Foreign Ministry, echoed this view: ‘Afghans have never accepted military presence throughout history. This was completely rejected in the Doha Agreement, but the door to other forms of engagement remains open.’
These developments come amid repeated warnings from Russia in recent months against Western attempts, particularly by the US, to re-establish a military presence in Afghanistan.
(ANI)