Trump demands the return of the Bagram air base and threatens Afghanistan, but Afghanistan refuses: “We won’t give up an inch of our territory.”

On the 20th, US President Trump warned Afghanistan that “bad things will happen” if it doesn’t return Baghlan Air Base to US control. AFP reported that an Afghan Islamic government official said on the 21st that an agreement on the base was “impossible” and that Afghanistan would not give up an inch of territory.

Reuters reported that Trump said on social media on the 20th: “Bagram Air Base was built by the United States. If Afghanistan doesn’t return it, bad things will happen.”

Following the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the US military has been stationed at Baghlan Air Base for a long time. Following the US withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, the base was immediately taken over by the Islamic government.

At the end of his visit to the UK on the 18th, Trump suddenly announced at a press conference that the US had been seeking to regain control of the base, adding that it would only take “one hour” from Baghlan to China’s nuclear weapons manufacturing sites. He told the media on the 19th that the US was in talks with Afghanistan on the matter.

Afghan officials have expressed opposition to the US military’s return to Afghanistan. Afghan Foreign Ministry official Jalal posted on social media on the 18th, saying, “Afghanistan and the United States need to maintain interaction, but the United States does not need to maintain a military presence anywhere in Afghanistan.”

Afghan media broadcast a statement by Defense Chief of Staff General Fitrat on the 21st, in which he said, “Recently, some have said they have begun negotiations with Afghanistan to reclaim Baghlan Air Base. No agreement on even an inch of Afghan territory can be reached. We don’t need it.”

After the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the US military began a long-term presence at Baghlan Air Base. In early July 2021, during Biden’s presidency, US and NATO forces chaotically withdrew from Baghlan. A little over a month later, the ISIS invaded Kabul, leading to the collapse of the US-backed Afghan government. US troops subsequently withdrew completely from Afghanistan at the end of August 2021.

Trump suggested that the ISIS, facing economic crises, lack of international legitimacy, internal divisions, and rival armed groups since returning to power in 2021, might be willing to allow US troops to return. “We’re trying to get the base back because they need our stuff. We want to get that base back,” he said at the time.

The cleric did not respond to questions from the Associated Press about whether negotiations were underway with the US regarding the Baghlan base.

Syrian news agency SANA reported on the 21st that Syria will hold its first parliamentary elections under the new Islamist government on October 5th.

Reuters reported that the new parliament is expected to lay the foundation for a broader democratic process. Former President Bashar al-Assad stepped down in December after nearly 14 years of civil war. Critics say the current system lacks sufficient minority participation.