Washington, Sep 21: US President Donald Trump has issued a stern warning to Afghanistan, demanding the return of the Bagram air base to the United States.

Posting on his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump wrote, "If Afghanistan doesn't give Bagram Airbase back to those that built it, the United States of America, bad things are going to happen."

Trump earlier reiterated that Washington has been pushing to regain control of the base, which was a key operational hub for American forces following the September 11, 2001, attacks.

Addressing reporters on Friday, he confirmed that discussions with Afghanistan on the matter were underway.

The Bagram air base, once the largest US military installation in Afghanistan, was taken over by the Taliban after the withdrawal of American forces in 2021.

Meanwhile, the Taliban regime has denounced Trump's remarks on Bagram.

A senior Afghan official on Saturday slammed the US President's remarks on recapturing Bagram airbase, saying Afghans never accept foreign military presence in their country, reported the state-run Radio and Television of Afghanistan (RTA).

"Afghans have never accepted foreign military presence in their land throughout history. Afghanistan and America need engagement on economic and political relations based on bilateral respect and common interests," the state-owned media outlet cited Jalali, a senior diplomat with the foreign ministry, as saying, Xinhua news agency reported.

Trump, who has been criticising his predecessor Joe Biden over giving up Bagram airbase during the US withdrawal in August 2021, told reporters in London on Thursday that "We want to retake it."

The Bagram airbase, 50 km north of Kabul, had served as the main military base of US troops in Afghanistan during the 20-year military presence of US-led military coalition forces, which ended in August 2021 and paved the way for the collapse of the western-backed forces and takeover of power by the current Afghan regime.

(IANS)

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