Certainly! Here’s a clear, well-structured summary of the article, expanded to approximately 1200 words for depth and context:
---
**Taliban Rejects Trump’s Call to Retake Bagram Air Base, Reasserts Afghan Sovereignty**
**Background: Bagram Air Base and the U.S. Withdrawal**
Bagram Air Base, once the heart of U.S. military operations in Afghanistan, has become a focal point in ongoing debates about U.S.-Afghan relations, security, and sovereignty. Situated about 40 kilometers north of Kabul, Bagram was the largest U.S. military installation in Afghanistan and a symbol of American involvement during the two-decade-long war. The base was handed over to Afghan forces in July 2021 as the U.S. prepared for a full withdrawal, which culminated in a chaotic and widely criticized evacuation from Kabul in August 2021. The Taliban swiftly took control of Bagram and other key military sites as the Afghan government collapsed.
**Trump’s Renewed Interest in Bagram**
Former U.S. President Donald Trump reignited controversy over Bagram during recent public remarks. Speaking on Saturday, he called for the United States to “retake” Bagram Air Base, suggesting that the U.S. is in talks with the current Afghan authorities—namely, the Taliban—about the matter. Trump’s comments come nearly four years after the U.S. withdrawal, which he has repeatedly criticized as poorly managed under President Joe Biden’s administration.
Pressed by reporters about whether he would consider deploying U.S. troops to seize the base if diplomatic efforts failed, Trump declined to offer specifics. “We won’t talk about that,” he stated, but added, “We want it back, and we want it back right away. If they don’t do it, you’re going to find out what I’m going to do.” Trump’s assertive language left open the possibility of force, though he stopped short of explicitly threatening military action.
**Taliban’s Firm Response: Sovereignty and International Agreements**
In response to Trump’s statements, the Taliban government issued a swift and categorical rejection. Zabihullah Mujahid, the chief spokesman for the Taliban, addressed Trump’s assertions on Sunday. Mujahid urged the U.S. to adopt a policy based on “realism and rationality,” emphasizing the Taliban’s commitment to an independent and sovereign Afghanistan.
Posting on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Mujahid reiterated that Afghanistan’s foreign policy is now centered on economic development and constructive relations with other states, grounded in mutual interests. He stressed that Afghanistan’s independence and territorial integrity are non-negotiable and have been consistently communicated to the U.S. in all bilateral discussions.
Mujahid also invoked the Doha Agreement, signed in February 2020 between the United States and the Taliban, which set the terms for the U.S. withdrawal. “It should be recalled that, under the Doha Agreement, the United States pledged that ‘it will not use or threaten force against the territorial integrity or political independence of Afghanistan, nor interfere in its internal affairs,’” he stated. He called on the U.S. to honor these commitments and refrain from any actions or rhetoric that could undermine Afghanistan’s sovereignty.
Mujahid did not respond to further inquiries from the Associated Press regarding the specifics of any conversations with the Trump team about Bagram or why Trump believed that the U.S. could realistically retake the base.
**Afghan Defense Ministry: No Compromise on Territory**
The message from the Taliban leadership was echoed by officials in the Afghan Defense Ministry. Fasihuddin Fitrat, the ministry’s chief of staff, addressed Trump’s comments in a speech broadcast by Afghan media. He was unequivocal: “Ceding even an inch of our soil to anyone is out of the question and impossible,” Fitrat declared. The statement underscored the Taliban government’s absolute refusal to entertain any notion of foreign control over Afghan territory, even in the context of international negotiations or security arrangements.
**Symbolic Importance of Bagram**
Bagram Air Base holds immense symbolic value for both the Taliban and the United States. For the Taliban, hosting a grand military parade at Bagram last August to celebrate the third anniversary of their return to power was a demonstration of their victory over foreign occupation. The parade featured U.S. military vehicles and hardware abandoned during the withdrawal, a spectacle that was closely watched by observers in Washington and around the world.
For Trump and