Reports indicate that former U.S. President Donald Trump is attempting to regain control of Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan. He presented a proposition to the Taliban government to this effect, which was subsequently rejected. The Taliban had previously ousted U.S. forces from Kabul in 2021, following a two-decade-long conflict.
Trump is now seeking to re-establish a U.S. military presence in Afghanistan. The proposal was put forth to both China and the Taliban, with a focus on controlling Bagram Air Base. The Taliban rejected the proposition, while China voiced strong disapproval.
Bagram Air Base, situated in Afghanistan’s Parwan province, roughly 40-60 km north of Kabul, is a major military airbase of considerable strategic importance. It’s recognized as one of the largest and most significant airbases globally.
The Soviet Union originally built Bagram Air Base in the 1950s. During the Soviet-Afghan War, it was the primary base for Soviet forces. Following the 9/11 attacks in 2001, U.S. forces gained control of the base as part of their operations in Afghanistan.
For two decades, the base was central to U.S. military operations in Afghanistan, hosting over 30,000 U.S. soldiers and acting as the NATO headquarters.
The base has two 11,000-foot concrete runways, supporting large aircraft such as C-5 Galaxy cargo planes and B-52 bombers. The infrastructure included over 110 aircraft shelters, fuel depots, medical facilities, a prison, and intelligence centers.
Bagram’s location offers key strategic advantages. It sits between South Asia, Central Asia, and West Asia, close to the borders of Iran, Pakistan, China’s Xinjiang province, and Russia. Notably, the base is within an hour’s flight (approximately 500 miles) of Xinjiang, the location of China’s nuclear weapons facilities.
This strategic position could be vital for the U.S. to counter China’s influence, enabling surveillance of China and Iran. The U.S. could potentially utilize the base for counter-terrorism, drone operations, air strikes, and intelligence gathering. Furthermore, it’s viewed by some as a means of maintaining American influence in Central Asia.
Since the 2021 U.S. withdrawal, the Taliban has controlled the base. Though there have been claims of an increased Chinese presence, these have not been substantiated.