Bagram | Pakistan

An Afghan Taliban government official said on Sunday that a deal over Bagram air base was “not possible”, after US President Donald Trump said he wanted the former US base back. Trump threatened the country on Saturday with unspecified punishment, just days after he raised the idea of the United States retaking control of the base while on a state visit to the United Kingdom. “If Afghanistan doesn’t give Bagram Airbase back to those that built it, the United States of America, BAD THINGS ARE GOING TO HAPPEN!!!” the 79-year-old leader wrote on his Truth Social platform. Trump, who has previously said he wants the United States to acquire territories and sites ranging from the Panama Canal to Greenland, has appeared focused on Bagram for years. Asked on Saturday whether he would send in US troops to retake the base, Trump declined to give a direct answer, saying: “We won’t talk about that.” “We’re talking now to Afghanistan and we want it back and we want it back soon, right away. And if they don’t do it — if t...

China on Friday strongly reacted to United States President Donald Trump’s plan to retake control of Afghanistan’s Bagram air base and said “hyping up tensions and creating confrontation” in the region runs counter to people’s aspirations. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said the country’s future should be decided by the Afghan people, according to state-run Global Times. “China respects Afghanistan’s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity, and that the country’s future should be decided by the Afghan people,” he said. “Hyping up tensions and creating confrontation in the region runs counter to people’s aspirations,” Lin said, adding that China hopes all parties will play a constructive role in promoting regional peace and stability. On Thursday, Trump said that his administration is trying to secure the return of the Bagram air base from the Taliban, though specifics on the hitherto secretive negotiations remained scarce. Trump said part of his motivation for attempting to reacqu...

The United States is trying to get Bagram air base in Afghanistan back, President Donald Trump said on Thursday during a joint news conference with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Trump is on an official state visit to the UK — his second state trip to Britain — where he signed a technology agreement with Starmer earlier today. “We’re trying to get it back,” Trump said, referring to Bagram. “It’s one of the biggest airbases in the world; we gave it to them for nothing. We’re trying to get it back. “One of the reasons we want the base, as you know, is it’s an hour away from where China makes its nuclear weapons.” Bagram Air Base served as the linchpin for US operations in the rugged country, where the long war against the Taliban and their Al Qaeda allies was fought with air strikes and resupply missions from the airfield. The historic Soviet-built airstrip was the main base for American forces in Afghanistan following the September 11, 2001, attacks, up until their 2021 withdrawal, which led to a takeove...