Kabul/Washington: The Taliban on Sunday dismissed former US President Donald Trump’s demand to reclaim control of Afghanistan’s Bagram Air Base, warning that any attempt would trigger the “strongest” retaliation.
“Afghanistan is fully independent, governed by its own people, and not dependent on any foreign power,” said Taliban Armed Forces Chief of Staff Fasihuddin Fitrat in Kabul, as reported by Bloomberg. “Even an inch of Afghan soil is not negotiable. We don’t fear any bully or aggressor.”
अमेरिका हमें तस्लीम करे या न करे, हमसे ताल्लुक़ क़ायम करे या न करे, बगराम एयरबेस तो दूर की बात है, एक गज़ ज़मीन भी अफ़ग़ानिस्तान की अमेरिका को नहीं दी जाएगी।
– अफ़ग़ानिस्तान pic.twitter.com/PQeHvu3eXt
— Shadab Liyaquat (@Khansk_) September 22, 2025
The statement came after Trump, in a Truth Social post, threatened Afghanistan with “bad things” if it refused to return Bagram—the largest US military facility in the country until American and NATO troops withdrew in July 2021.
#Taliban to #Trump on Bagram: ‘Will not negotiate away even an inch of our soil’ | https://t.co/FCQAy5WUHg pic.twitter.com/5qPATskJ06
— Economic Times (@EconomicTimes) September 22, 2025
During a press conference in the UK alongside Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Trump doubled down, saying Washington was “trying to get it back” because “they need things from us.”
Bagram’s Strategic Weight
Located 64 km north of Kabul, Bagram Air Base was the hub of US military operations after the 9/11 attacks. It housed thousands of detainees during the “war on terror” and served as a logistical powerhouse with runways, shelters, hospitals, fuel depots, and even fast-food outlets for troops.
The base’s location near Iran, Pakistan, China’s Xinjiang, and Central Asia made it a critical vantage point for monitoring Russia and China. Analysts note that its control continues to carry immense strategic significance.
The Taliban’s outright rejection signals a sharp rebuff to Trump’s vow of regaining Bagram, underscoring the tense fault lines that remain between Kabul’s rulers and Washington.
