‘Not Even One Metre’: Afghanistan Rejects Trump’s Demand To Hand Over Bagram Air Base

<p>Afghanistan&rsquo;s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi has sharply dismissed US President Donald Trump&rsquo;s call to reclaim control of Bagram Air Base, declaring that &ldquo;not even one metre of Afghan land will be given to the Americans.&rdquo;</p>
<p>His remarks, aired in an exclusive interview with Tolo News, came just days after Trump suggested that Washington was seeking to take back the sprawling military facility, which has been under Taliban control since the withdrawal of US and allied forces in 2021.</p>
<p>In an official statement released on Sunday, the Afghan government reiterated its commitment to what it described as a &ldquo;balanced, economy-orientated foreign policy&rdquo; grounded in Islamic principles and mutual respect. The statement stressed that Afghanistan&rsquo;s independence and territorial integrity remain non-negotiable in all diplomatic dealings, including with the United States.</p>
<p>&ldquo;It has been consistently communicated to the United States in all bilateral negotiations that, for the Islamic Emirate, Afghanistan&rsquo;s independence and territorial integrity are of the utmost importance,&rdquo; the statement read.</p>
<p>The government also invoked the Doha Agreement of 2020, signed during Trump&rsquo;s presidency, in which the United States pledged not to use or threaten force against Afghanistan&rsquo;s sovereignty or interfere in its domestic affairs.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Rather than repeating past failed approaches, a policy of realism and rationality should be adopted,&rdquo; the statement added, urging Washington to uphold its commitments.</p>
<h2>Trump&rsquo;s Bagram Remarks</h2>
<p>During a recent visit to the United Kingdom, Trump claimed the US had planned to maintain control of Bagram Air Base even after withdrawing troops. He called the decision to abandon it &ldquo;the most embarrassing moment in the history of our country&rdquo; and warned Kabul in a Truth Social post that &ldquo;bad things are going to happen&rdquo; if Afghanistan does not return the base.</p>
<p>Located north of Kabul, Bagram Air Base was once the centrepiece of America&rsquo;s 20-year military campaign in Afghanistan. It served as a strategic hub close to the Chinese border and housed a notorious detention facility where thousands were held without trial during the &ldquo;war on terror.&rdquo; Reports of abuse and torture at the site have drawn international condemnation.</p>
<p>The Taliban now controls the base, along with the rest of Afghanistan, following the full withdrawal of US-led forces in August 2021.</p>