Taliban rejects Trump’s call to retake Bagram Air Base: ‘Ceding Afghan soil is out of the question’
Taliban rejected US President Donald Trump’s bid to retake Bagram Air Base, four years after America’s withdrawal left the base in Taliban hands. Trump expressed a desire to regain control, but Taliban officials emphasized Afghanistan’s sovereignty and urged US to follow the Doha Agreement.
The Taliban on Sunday (September 21) firmly rejected US President Donald Trump’s bid to reestablish a presence at Bagram Air Base, nearly four years after America’s chaotic withdrawal left the sprawling military facility in Taliban hands.
Trump renewed his call on Saturday, stating, “We want it back, and we want it back right away. If they don’t do it, you’re going to find out what I’m going to do.” He declined to provide details on discussions with Afghan authorities and avoided answering questions on whether US troops would be deployed to retake the base, telling reporters, “We won’t talk about that.”
Taliban stresses sovereignty
Chief Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid responded to Trump’s remarks, urging Washington to adopt a policy of “realism and rationality.” He emphasized Afghanistan’s commitment to constructive foreign relations while safeguarding its independence.
Mujahid posted on X: “It should be recalled that, under the Doha Agreement, the United States pledged that ‘it will not use or threaten force against the territorial integrity or political independence of Afghanistan, nor interfere in its internal affairs.’”
He added that the US must remain faithful to these commitments.
Afghan officials reject any territorial concessions
Fasihuddin Fitrat, chief of staff at the Defense Ministry, addressed Trump’s comments, reaffirming Afghanistan’s sovereignty: “Ceding even an inch of our soil to anyone is out of the question and impossible,” Fitrat said during a speech broadcast by Afghan media.
The Taliban celebrated the third anniversary of their takeover at Bagram last August with a grand military display, showcasing abandoned US hardware, a reminder of the controversial US withdrawal that Trump has repeatedly criticized as “gross incompetence.”
Trump hints at Taliban cooperation
During his recent state visit to the United Kingdom, Trump suggested that the Taliban, facing economic struggles, internal rifts, and legitimacy challenges since their return to power in 2021, might be open to allowing the US military back.
“We’re trying to get it back because they need things from us,” Trump said.
While no formal diplomatic ties exist between the US and the Taliban, the two sides have engaged in hostage discussions. Last March, the Taliban released an American tourist who had been abducted more than two years prior.
Prisoner swap signals possible talks
The Taliban also announced an agreement with US envoys for a detainee exchange as part of broader normalization efforts, though details of the swap were not disclosed. Photographs released by the Taliban show their foreign minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, meeting with Trump’s special envoy for hostage response, Adam Boehler.