Taliban Rejects Possibility of Handing Over Bagram Air Base to the U.S.

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — The Taliban has firmly rejected the possibility of granting the United States control over the Bagram air base, warning that any attempt to bring back American troops to Afghanistan would be met with a harsh response. Officials in Kabul stressed that the issue of U.S. military presence in the country is “closed once and for all.”

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid, in comments to The Times, underlined: “We expelled the Americans and will not allow their return. The Bagram base is an inseparable part of Afghanistan, and any U.S. plans regarding this facility are unacceptable.”

The statement came in response to remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump, who called Bagram a strategically important site. According to him, the airfield is located just an hour’s flight from a region in China believed to host nuclear weapons production. Kabul dismissed his words as emotional, reiterating that American troops would not be allowed back.

Washington-based analyst Michael Kugelman noted that although the Taliban seeks dialogue with the United States, the issue of Bagram remains a “red line.” He argued that while the movement may look for ways to normalize ties with Washington, sovereignty over key military facilities is non-negotiable.

Built during the Soviet era, Bagram Air Base served as the largest U.S. and NATO military installation in Afghanistan from 2001 to 2021. Its abandonment in July 2021 by U.S. forces became a symbol of the end of the two-decade-long campaign.

During the American presence, Bagram evolved into a small city with extensive infrastructure, including fast-food outlets — a stark contrast to everyday Afghan reality.