Last Updated on September 21, 2025 10:03 pm by INDIAN AWAAZ
FILE PHOTO: US Troop leaving Afghanistan
AMN / WEB DESK
Afghan officials have sharply rejected suggestions that the United States could reclaim control of the Bagram Air Base, warning that any attempt to re-establish a foreign military presence would be met with determined resistance.
Mullah Tajmir Jawad, first deputy of the General Directorate of Intelligence, said on Sunday that the Afghan government would firmly preserve the current system. “There will be no compromise on our sovereignty. The era of foreign occupation is over,” he remarked.
Afghan Defence Minister Mohammad Yaqoob Mujahid echoed the warning, telling reporters that Kabul would not tolerate new U.S. bases under any circumstances. “If America wants to stay and open more bases, we are ready to fight them for another 20 years,” Mujahid declared.
Bagram Air Base, located about 50 kilometres north of Kabul, was once the largest U.S. military installation in Afghanistan and a central hub for operations during the two-decade war. The base was handed over to Afghan forces in July 2021, weeks before the Taliban’s return to power, symbolising the end of America’s longest conflict.
Since taking control, the Taliban-led government has repeatedly insisted that Afghanistan will not host foreign troops. Officials argue that the sacrifices made during the war would be dishonoured if any foreign power were allowed to return.
Analysts note that Washington’s interest in Bagram reflects its enduring strategic value, given its proximity to Central and South Asia. However, experts also warn that any attempt to reclaim the base could reignite conflict, destabilise the region, and strain relations with neighbouring countries such as Pakistan, Iran, and China.
For Kabul, the message remains clear: Afghanistan is determined to assert sovereignty and will resist any foreign military return, even at the cost of prolonged conflict.