Taliban respond to Trump’s idea of returning US troops to Afghanistan
Photo: Donald Trump, US President (Getty Images)
The Taliban will not allow the US to regain control over a key airbase in Afghanistan. This idea had been considered by US President Donald Trump, states Taliban Foreign Ministry official Zakir Jalal, according to the BBC.
Jalal said that the idea of maintaining a US military presence in Afghanistan was "completely" rejected during negotiations between the parties before the Taliban returned to power.
"Throughout history, Afghans have not accepted a military presence, and this possibility was completely rejected during the Doha talks and agreement, but the doors are open to other engagement," the Taliban Foreign Ministry official emphasized.
Trump’s intentions
Yesterday, on September 18, US President Donald Trump stated that his country is trying to regain control over the Bagram airbase in Afghanistan. US forces withdrew from there in 2021.
According to Trump, the Bagram airbase is located "an hour’s drive" from where China produces nuclear weapons.
However, as the BBC noted, it is unclear what exactly the US leader meant. A BBC Verify investigation in July showed that a nuclear testing site is located about 2,000 km (1,243 miles) away, in northwest China.
Notably, in March, the US leader had already stated that he planned to keep the Bagram base under US control, but "not because of Afghanistan, but because of China."
