Bagram Air Base served as the linchpin for US operations in the rugged country, where the long war against the Taliban and their Al Qaeda allies was fought with air strikes and resupply missions from the airfield
News Desk
ISLAMABAD: The Afghan government has welcomed the position taken by Russia, China, Iran and Pakistan against the establishment of foreign military bases in Afghanistan, Taliban government deputy spokesperson Hamdullah Fitrat said on Saturday.
His statement, shared with journalists, came days after foreign ministers of the four countries held a meeting on the sidelines of the 80th United Nations General Assembly in New York. A joint statement was issued after the quadripartite consultation, which is being held since 2017 and is aimed at promoting regional stability and coordinating efforts to counter terrorism, narcotics, and extremism emanating from Afghan territory.
The joint statement, also shared by Pakistan’s Foreign Office on X, said: “The four sides emphasised that the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Afghanistan should be respected, firmly opposed the re-establishment of military bases in and around Afghanistan by the countries responsible for the current situation, which is not conducive to regional peace and security.”
While the joint statement did not refer to any specific country seeking bases in Afghanistan, it follows one by US President Donald Trump where he said Washington was trying to get Bagram air base in Afghanistan back.
Bagram Air Base served as the linchpin for US operations in the rugged country, where the long war against the Taliban and their Al Qaeda allies was fought with air strikes and resupply missions from the airfield. In July 2021, all US and Nato troops left Afghanistan’s biggest air base, signalling the complete withdrawal of foreign forces from the country after two decades of war.
After his initial statement about Bagram in the United Kingdom, Trump had threatened Afghanistan last with unspecified consequences if it refused to give the control of the Bagram air base to the US.
For their part, the Taliban government in Afghanistan rejected his demand.
