The Taliban rejected any possibility of allowing the United States to reclaim Bagram Air Base, which U.S. forces abandoned during the 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan. The response came after President Donald Trump said Thursday that the U.S. is “trying to get [Bagram Air Base] back.”
Taliban foreign ministry official Zakir Jalaly praised Trump personally but stated that no American military presence would ever be tolerated. “Afghans have never accepted the military presence of anyone throughout history,” he wrote on social media, while leaving open the possibility of political and economic ties “based on mutual respect and shared interests.”
Trump has repeatedly criticized the loss of Bagram, calling it vital due to its proximity to China and nuclear development sites. He reiterated its importance during a press conference with U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, asserting that the Taliban “need things from us” and could be persuaded to negotiate.
Taliban officials dismissed those claims, with Deputy Minister Muhajir Farahi posting a poem ending with “Bagram, Afghanistan” as a pointed rejection.
The U.S. departure from Afghanistan in 2021 marked a violent turning point. Thirteen American service members and about 170 Afghans were killed in a suicide bombing during the final days of evacuation, underscoring the chaos of the withdrawal.
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