The Taliban has rejected former US President Donald Trump's assertion that Chinese troops are stationed at the Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan. Trump claimed that the Biden administration abandoned the facility, allowing China to occupy it.
During a recent speech, Trump stated that the US should reclaim the airfield due to its proximity to Chinese missile facilities. He said, 'Bagram airbase is one of the biggest airbases in the world... and you know who is occupying it at the moment? China.'
Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid dismissed Trump's remarks as 'emotional' and based on 'unsubstantiated information'. He told state media that the airfield is under Taliban control, stating, 'Chinese troops are not present here nor do we have any such pact with any country.'
China has previously denied any military presence at Bagram. The airfield served as the central command for US-led Nato forces for two decades before the withdrawal in 2021. Trump has also criticised the Biden administration for leaving behind billions of dollars worth of military equipment, which he claims the Taliban is now selling.
Mujahid argued that the equipment belonged to the former Afghan government and is considered 'spoils of war', now used by the Taliban to protect the country. A Pentagon report valued the equipment left behind at $7bn.
