Taliban leader held top officials meeting on Bagram base: Exclusive
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Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzadeh calls top officials to Kandahar to discuss Bagram Air Base after US President Trump issues threats over its return.
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Taliban security personnel march during a military parade to mark the third anniversary of the withdrawal of US-led troops from Afghanistan, in Bagram Air Base in the Parwan Province of Afghanistan, Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2024 (AP)
The leader of the Taliban, Hibatullah Akhundzadeh, has summoned his senior officials to Kandahar for consultations regarding the Bagram air base, Afghan sources told Al Mayadeen. According to the sources, the meeting is scheduled to take place in the coming days and will include a number of the movement's senior leaders.
The sources indicated that while Akhundzadeh had previously discussed the matter of US President Donald Trump's request to regain the base with some ministers and the movement's chief justice, he now wishes to deliberate on the issue more broadly during this meeting.
Akhundzadeh had previously convened a meeting in Kandahar with several senior movement leaders, such as Yaqub Mujahid, Amir Khan Muttaqi, and Abdul Hakim Haqqani, to discuss the matter; however, the sources indicate that these consultations were deemed insufficient, leading the leader to refer the issue to an official ministerial meeting.
Trump's claim of negotiations over Bagram refuted
In a related context, the Taliban's spokesperson has affirmed that the movement will not hand over the Bagram air base to the United States, a statement made following a threat from Trump that a failure to return the base would have "grave consequences".
Zabihullah Mujahid refuted Trump's claim of negotiations over Bagram, stating the talks were limited to prisoner releases and economic relations, warning that any "hostile move" would be met with a "harsh response", a stance corroborated by the Afghan army's chief of staff, Fasihuddin Fitrat.
"We previously believed that Trump was using this language only to pressure his political opponent, Joe Biden, but his recent statements show it is part of a broader American policy, which is concerning. We reiterate that Afghans will not hand over a single inch of their homeland to any foreign power," Mujahid stated.
Return to Bagram? US strategy aims at China, Russia, Iran
Analysts believe that any American military move to retake Bagram would expose the internal divisions within the Taliban's ranks and that the operation to secure the base would be complex and protracted. Additionally, they have noted that the Trump administration has concluded that regaining control of Bagram is necessary to counter China, Russia, and Iran.
Former Interior Minister Mohammad Omar Daudzai predicted the US would justify a return to Bagram by citing its strategic agreement with the former government. He pointed to America's current control of Afghan airspace as evidence of its capability, questioning the Taliban's or regional powers' ability to challenge it.
On September 21, US President Donald Trump threatened Afghanistan, stating in a TruthSocial post that “bad things are going to happen” if it fails to return the Bagram Air Base to Washington.
Speaking later to reporters, Trump stated that Washington wants Bagram "back soon, right away," adding that he is currently in talks with Afghanistan and repeating his threats by stressing, "if they don't do it, you're gonna find out what I am going to do."
