In brief
In a recent statement, Zakir Jalal, a Taliban official, has rejected Donald Trump's aspirations to retake Bagram airbase, emphasizing that US military presence was thoroughly negated during previous discussions. Trump's comments came following a press conference wherein he suggested the US could regain control over the strategically significant base. The Taliban reaffirmed their stance against any foreign military involvement, reflecting on historical sentiments about Afghanistan's sovereignty.
A Taliban official has rejected the idea that the U.S. could retake a key airbase in Afghanistan after President Donald Trump told reporters he wanted it back.
Zakir Jalal, who works in the Taliban's foreign ministry, said the idea of the U.S. maintaining any military presence in Afghanistan was 'completely' rejected during talks between the two sides before the Taliban returned to power.
This statement comes after the U.S. president hinted at the possibility of reclaiming Bagram airbase, the epicenter of NATO forces in Afghanistan for two decades, suggesting that the U.S. could regain control 'because they need things from us'.
The base was handed over to the Afghan military shortly before the Taliban took control of Afghanistan.
Trump stated at a press conference in the UK on Thursday that the U.S. 'gave it to them for nothing'. The complete withdrawal of U.S. troops occurred as part of a deal signed during Trump's first administration in 2020 and concluded under President Joe Biden in 2021.
However, Trump reiterated that he had planned to maintain Bagram airbase 'not because of Afghanistan but because of China'. He stressed on the strategic importance of its location, claiming it is near where China produces nuclear weapons. Nevertheless, exact references from Trump lacked clarity; a BBC Verify investigation found there is a nuclear testing site about 2,000km away, in north-western China.
Trump has frequently claimed that China has established a presence at the base, which is north of the capital, Kabul—a claim denied by the Taliban. A BBC investigation examined satellite images from late 2020 to 2025 and found little activity at Bagram since the Taliban regained control.
A spokesman from China's foreign ministry commented that 'China respects Afghanistan's territorial integrity and sovereignty,' indicating that the future of Afghanistan should be determined by its people.
Zakir Jalal further emphasized that Afghans have historically resisted foreign military presence, explicitly rejecting such a possibility during past agreements in Doha. He stated, 'the doors are open to other engagement.' Recent discussions between the U.S. and Taliban have focused on American citizens still held in Afghanistan.
