Kabul [Afghanistan], September 21 (ANI): Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi has firmly rejected calls by US President Donald Trump to reclaim control of Bagram Air Base, declaring that “not even one meter of Afghan land will be given to the Americans.”
The statement, made during a special interview with Tolo News, came days after the US president said Washington was trying to regain control of the base, which is currently under the control of the Taliban government after the US and its allied troops withdrew from the country in 2021.
Afghanistan also issued an official statement on Sunday addressing Trump’s remarks, reaffirming the country’s commitment to a “balanced, economy-oriented foreign policy” rooted in Islamic principles and mutual interests with all nations. The statement emphasized that Afghanistan’s independence and territorial integrity remain non-negotiable priorities in all bilateral engagements, including with the United States.
“In accordance with Islamic principles and grounded in its balanced, economy-oriented foreign policy, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan seeks constructive relations with all states on the basis of mutual and shared interests,” the statement read. “It has been consistently communicated to the United States in all bilateral negotiations that, for the Islamic Emirate, Afghanistan’s independence and territorial integrity are of the utmost importance,” it added.
The Islamic Emirate also referenced the Doha Agreement, under which the US pledged not to use or threaten force against Afghanistan’s territorial integrity or interfere in its internal affairs. “It should be recalled that, under the Doha Agreement, the United States pledged that ‘it will not use or threaten force against the territorial integrity or political independence of Afghanistan, nor interfere in its internal affairs.’ Therefore, it is necessary that they remain faithful to their commitments. Accordingly, it is once again underscored that, rather than repeating past failed approaches, a policy of realism and rationality should be adopted,” the statement added.
The US and the Taliban signed the peace agreement in February 2020 during Trump’s first term in office. The deal outlined the withdrawal of US troops from Afghan soil, while the Taliban pledged to reduce violence and prevent Afghanistan from becoming a safe haven for terrorists.
During his recent official visit to the UK, Trump said, “We were going to leave Afghanistan, but we were going to leave it with strength and dignity, and we were going to keep Bagram, the big air base — one of the biggest air bases in the world.” He has repeatedly indicated that he would have kept control of the air base, citing its strategic location near the border between Afghanistan and China.
Trump has described the decision to withdraw troops from the base as “the most embarrassing moment in the history of our country.” Earlier in the day, he warned Afghanistan in a Truth Social post that “bad things are going to happen” if it did not comply with his demand. “If Afghanistan doesn’t give Bagram Airbase back to those that built it, the United States of America, BAD THINGS ARE GOING TO HAPPEN!!!” he wrote.
Bagram Air Base remains under the control of the Taliban government following the US withdrawal in 2021. Located just north of Kabul, Bagram served as the main hub for US military operations throughout its 20-year presence in Afghanistan. The site, which also housed a notorious prison, saw thousands of individuals detained for years without charge or trial during the US-led “war on terror,” with many subjected to abuse and torture, according to Al Jazeera. (ANI)
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