**Taliban Rejects Trump’s Demand to Return Bagram Airbase**
*By Snehil Singh | Sep 21, 2025 | 04:34 PM*
The Taliban has firmly rejected United States President Donald Trump’s demand to return control of the Bagram airbase in Afghanistan. This airbase was a major military hub for the US before the Taliban regained control of the country in July 2021.
“Afghanistan is fully independent, governed by its own people, and not dependent on any foreign power,” said Fasihuddin Fitrat, Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, underscoring the nation’s sovereignty.
### Trump’s Threats Over Bagram Airbase
Earlier, President Trump threatened Afghanistan with “bad things” if the Taliban did not return the airbase. He criticized his predecessor for leaving American military assets under Taliban control. Located about 64 kilometers from Kabul, the Bagram airbase was a key center of US military operations after the 9/11 attacks. Its strategic position at the crossroads of Iran, Pakistan, China’s Xinjiang province, and Central Asia made it vital for regional influence and intelligence over Eurasia.
### Withdrawal Agreement and Strategic Importance
US and NATO troops withdrew from Bagram in July 2021 as part of a peace agreement initiated during Trump’s first term and completed under President Joe Biden’s administration. Trump had previously expressed a desire to retain the base—not for Afghanistan’s sake, but due to its strategic importance vis-à-vis China. However, investigations have found no evidence supporting claims that China has established any presence at Bagram since the Taliban takeover.
### US-Taliban Talks and Future Prospects
Zakir Jalal, a Taliban foreign ministry official, dismissed any possibility of US military presence in Afghanistan, noting that issue was categorically rejected during talks prior to the Taliban’s return to power. Recent discussions between the US and Taliban have focused primarily on Americans held in Afghanistan rather than military arrangements.
Meanwhile, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson stated that China respects Afghanistan’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, emphasizing that Afghanistan’s future should be decided by the Afghan people themselves.
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The situation remains complex, with the Bagram airbase standing as a symbol of regional power dynamics, sovereignty, and geopolitical interests in Central and South Asia.
https://www.newsbytesapp.com/news/world/we-don-t-fear-taliban-rejects-trump-s-bagram-air-base-demand/story