Exclusive: Taliban leader calls cabinet meeting in Kandahar over Bagram air base

Taliban supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada has summoned members of his cabinet to Kandahar for consultations on the future of Bagram air base following repeated calls by U.S. President Donald Trump to reclaim the facility, multiple sources told Amu.

The sources said the cabinet meeting is expected in the coming days and invitations have already been extended to senior Taliban officials. Akhundzada has previously discussed the issue with several ministers and the Taliban’s chief justice but, according to sources, now wants broader deliberations within the cabinet.

Trump, who has publicly mentioned Bagram at least 20 times since returning to the White House, has in recent weeks escalated demands for its “immediate” return, warning the Taliban of “bad consequences” if they refuse. The base, once the hub of U.S. military operations in Afghanistan, was vacated in July 2021 under the Biden administration’s withdrawal.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid denied Trump’s claims that negotiations are underway for the handover of Bagram. In an interview with Al Arabiya, he said recent talks with U.S. officials have focused on prisoner exchanges and economic issues, not military bases.

“Afghans will never surrender part of their country to another government,” Mujahid said. “If the Trump administration makes a bad move, it will face a bad reaction from us.”

Mujahid added that while Trump’s rhetoric was once seen as aimed at his political rival Joe Biden, his recent emphasis suggests a broader U.S. strategy tied to national security competition with China, Russia and Iran.

Analysts say any U.S. attempt to retake Bagram would not only reignite conflict but could expose internal divisions within the Taliban leadership. Some believe Washington may invoke security agreements signed with the former Afghan republic to justify a renewed presence.

“The U.S. already controls Afghanistan’s airspace,” former Interior Minister Mohammad Omar Daudzai told Amu. “If they decide to land tomorrow, it won’t be difficult. The Taliban and even regional countries would be unable to stop it.”

Akhundzada has held high-level meetings in Kandahar with senior Taliban figures, including Defense Minister Mohammad Yaqoob Mujahid, Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi and Chief Justice Abdul Hakim Haqqani, to discuss the U.S. demands. Sources say Taliban leaders see the issue as critical, given both international pressure and the symbolic weight of Bagram.

Trump’s repeated calls for Bagram underscore its strategic importance, particularly as part of U.S. competition with China. The Taliban, however, insist the base will not be handed over and have warned against repeating “failed experiences of the past.”