"Trump said on Thursday that his administration is pressing to get back the base at Bagram. The US president, who has long expressed hope of reclaiming the facility, noted that its position is strategically vital due to its proximity to China. We're trying to get it back, Trump announced. We gave it to [the Taliban] for nothing, he complained, adding that Bagram is exactly one hour away from where China makes its nuclear missiles."
"However, Taliban officials have dismissed the idea. Afghanistan and the United States need to engage with one another without the United States maintaining any military presence in any part of Afghanistan, Zakir Jalal, a foreign ministry official, posted on social media. Kabul is ready to pursue political and economic ties with Washington based on mutual respect and shared interests, he added."
"Lying just north of Kabul, Bagram, which hosted a notorious prison, served as the centre of the US military's operations during its two-decade occupation of Afghanistan. Thousands of people were also imprisoned at the site for years without charge or trial by the United States during its so-called war on terror, and many of those were abused or tortured. The Taliban retook the facility in 2021 following the US withdrawal and the collapse of the Afghan government."
President Donald Trump reiterated a push to reclaim Bagram airbase, arguing its strategic importance near China and saying the US should have maintained a small force. Kabul rejected any re-established US military presence and said it is ready to engage politically and economically with Washington based on mutual respect and shared interests. Taliban officials dismissed calls for a US return. Bagram, north of Kabul, hosted a notorious prison and served as the center of US military operations during a two-decade occupation; thousands were detained without charge and many endured abuse. The Taliban retook Bagram in 2021 after the US withdrawal and Afghan government collapse.
Read at www.aljazeera.com
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