Kabul — The Taliban has flatly refused to hand back Afghanistan’s Bagram Air Base to the United States, dismissing former President Donald Trump’s demand as “not possible.”
Speaking at an event in Kabul on Sunday, Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces Fasihuddin Fitrat declared Afghanistan fully sovereign and independent. “We do not fear any bully or aggressor,” he said, warning that any hostility would draw the “strongest” response.
Fitrat rejected claims of ongoing negotiations, adding, “A deal over even an inch of Afghanistan’s soil is not possible. We don’t need it.”
Trump recently warned of “bad things” if Afghanistan refused to return Bagram, once the largest US military base in the country. In a Truth Social post, he argued that the base was built by America and should be handed back. He also used the issue to criticise his predecessor, blaming the withdrawal for leaving US weapons and equipment in Taliban hands.
Located about 64 km north of Kabul, Bagram was at the heart of American operations after the 2001 invasion. It housed runways longer than many international airports, military hospitals, fortified shelters, fuel depots, and even fast-food outlets serving troops. It also became infamous for its prison, where thousands were held without trial during the US “war on terror.”
The base’s strategic position near Iran, Pakistan, China’s Xinjiang province, and Central Asia gives it value for surveillance and influence in the region. During a recent visit to the UK, Trump hinted that Washington was working to regain control of the site, calling it “breaking news.”
