VOI World/ Desk
On September 21, 2025, the Taliban government officially rejected former U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposal to reclaim control of Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan, a facility the U.S. abandoned during its 2021 withdrawal. The demand has activated debates over geography, international treaties, and power balance in the region.
Spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid, speaking in Jalalabad, cautioned the U.S. to display “realism and rationality,” emphasizing Afghanistan’s territorial integrity. He referred to the Doha Agreement, which required the U.S. to pledge against interfering in Afghanistan’s internal affairs, implicitly rejecting any attempt to retake the base. Taliban Defense Ministry head Fasihuddin Fitrat went further, dismissing the notion as “out of the question.”
Trump has argued that Bagram is strategically vital — citing the base’s large runways and infrastructure left behind. He has also issued warnings that “bad things will happen” if it is not handed back.
The Bagram base has symbolic and practical weight. Under U.S. occupation, it was a keystone for counterterrorism, logistics, and foreign military presence in Afghanistan. Its return would mark a reversal of the 2021 exit, but any attempt to re-establish control risks serious geopolitical and security fallout.
For India and neighbouring states, the rejection serves as a reminder that Afghanistan’s sovereignty remains a key concern across South Asia. New challenges may arise for regional security, diplomacy, and threat perceptions.
