Afghanistan Times
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KABUL — The Taliban has reportedly handed over Afghanistan’s strategically critical Bagram Air Base to the United States, signaling what could be the beginning of a renewed American presence in the region. Citing Medium, Afghan news agency Khaama Press reported that a U.S. Air Force C-17 aircraft recently landed at the base carrying military vehicles, advanced equipment, and senior U.S. intelligence officials—including the Deputy Director of the CIA.
While the report has triggered widespread speculation, the Taliban has firmly denied the claim, calling it “baseless” and insisting that the base remains under their control. No official confirmation has been made by U.S. authorities either.
The development comes amid fresh comments from U.S. President Donald Trump, who has hinted at reestablishing a presence in Afghanistan to counter growing Chinese influence. “I think we should get [Bagram] back,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting, calling the base one of the largest and most powerful in the world and strategically located “exactly one hour from where China makes its nuclear missiles.”
Trump also blasted the 2021 U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, carried out under former President Joe Biden, which saw the sudden fall of the Afghan government and a swift Taliban takeover. “We gave billions and billions of dollars to Afghanistan and left behind massive amounts of military equipment. That wouldn’t have happened if I had been president,” Trump said.
The Bagram Air Base, located in Parwan Province near Charikar, was the hub of U.S. operations in Afghanistan for nearly two decades before it was abandoned during the chaotic military exit. Originally built by the Soviet Union in the 1950s, the base has remained a strategic prize for global powers with interests in the region.
According to a report from the U.S. Department of Defense, nearly $7 billion worth of military equipment was left behind during the 2021 withdrawal, much of which is believed to be in Taliban hands.
The Taliban’s denial and the lack of official confirmation from the United States have left the situation unclear, but the mere possibility of a U.S. return to Bagram has already begun reshaping conversations around regional power dynamics and America’s evolving strategy in South Asia.
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