The Taliban authorities on Sunday rejected U.S. President Trump’s bid to retake Bagram Air Base, 4 years after America’s chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan left the sprawling army facility within the Taliban’s fingers.
Mr. Trump on Saturday renewed his name to reestablish a U.S. presence at Bagram, even saying “we’re speaking now to Afghanistan” in regards to the matter. He didn’t provide additional particulars in regards to the purported conversations. Requested by a reporter if he’d take into account deploying U.S. troops to take the bottom, the president demurred.
“We cannot speak about that,” Mr. Trump mentioned. “We would like it again, and we would like it again instantly. If they do not do it, you are going to discover out what I will do.”
Mr. Trump adopted up with a social media put up saying “If Afghanistan would not give Bagram Airbase again to those who constructed it, america of America, BAD THINGS ARE GOING TO HAPPEN!!!”
On Sunday, chief Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid rejected Mr. Trump’s assertions and urged the U.S. to undertake a coverage of “realism and rationality.”
Afghanistan had an economy-oriented international coverage and sought constructive relations with all states on the idea of mutual and shared pursuits, Mujahid posted on X.
It had been constantly communicated to the U.S. in all bilateral negotiations that Afghanistan’s independence and territorial integrity have been of the utmost significance, he mentioned.
“It ought to be recalled that, underneath the Doha Settlement, america pledged that ‘it is not going to use or threaten pressure in opposition to the territorial integrity or political independence of Afghanistan, nor intervene in its inside affairs,'” he mentioned. The U.S. wanted to stay trustworthy to its commitments, he added.
Mujahid didn’t reply to questions from The Related Press about conversations with the Trump administration concerning Bagram and why Mr. Trump believed the U.S. may retake it.
‘Ceding Afghan soil is out of the query’
Earlier Sunday, the chief of employees on the Protection Ministry, Fasihuddin Fitrat, addressed Mr. Trump’s feedback. “Ceding even an inch of our soil to anybody is out of the query and not possible,” he mentioned throughout a speech broadcast by Afghan media.
In August final yr, the Taliban celebrated the third anniversary of their takeover at Bagram with a grand army show of deserted U.S. {hardware}, catching the attention of the White Home. Mr. Trump has repeatedly criticized his predecessor, Joe Biden, for his “gross incompetence” throughout the withdrawal of U.S. forces after the nation’s longest battle.
Mr. Trump final week, throughout his state go to to the UK, hinted that the Taliban, who’ve struggled with an financial disaster, worldwide legitimacy, inside rifts and rival militant teams since their return to energy in 2021, could possibly be sport to permit the U.S. army to return.
“We’re making an attempt to get it again as a result of they want issues from us,” Mr. Trump mentioned of the Taliban. Whereas the U.S. and the Taliban don’t have any formal diplomatic ties, the perimeters have had hostage conversations. An American man who was kidnapped greater than two years in the past whereas touring by way of Afghanistan as a vacationer was launched by the Taliban in March.
The Taliban additionally mentioned they reached an settlement with U.S. envoys on an change of prisoners as a part of an effort to normalize relations between america and Afghanistan.
They gave no particulars of the detainee swap, and the White Home didn’t touch upon the assembly in Kabul or the outcomes described in a Taliban assertion. The Taliban launched images from their talks, exhibiting their international minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, with Mr. Trump’s particular envoy for hostage response, Adam Boehler.
