Pakistan Claims US Regains Bagram Airbase in Secret Taliban Deal - China on Edge

Kabul: Speculation is once again rife about Afghanistan's strategically very important Bagram airbase. Pakistani media claims that the Taliban has allegedly handed over the Bagram airbase to the US again. If this claim about Bagram is true, then it will be considered a major change in regional strategy by the Taliban. Pakistani journalists claim that a C-17 cargo plane of the US Air Force has recently landed at the Bagram airbase. Military vehicles, equipment and officers of the intelligence agency CIA were present in it. This Pakistani claim is being denied by the social media handle associated with the Taliban.

The Taliban had occupied the Bagram airbase since the withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan, but China was also keeping an eye on it. A Chinese team also reached this airbase recently. Recently, US President Donald Trump had warned about the Bagram airbase. Pakistani journalist Zark Shabab has claimed in his article written on the Medium website that the US C-17 aircraft has landed at this airbase. It is being told that among those who have landed at this airbase, the deputy chief of the US intelligence agency CIA was also present.

The Pakistani report said that the arrival of the CIA officer shows how important the Bagram airbase is for America. However, this claim has not been confirmed by the Taliban yet. This development shows that the US wants to maintain its intelligence network in Afghanistan by being very active. Bagram Airbase has historical importance. During America's 20-year-long Afghanistan war, Bagram Airbase was the stronghold of the US Army.

Earlier, the Taliban had refused to return this airbase to America. The Taliban considered it a violation of its sovereignty. However, with this latest development, it seems that the Taliban has changed its stance with America under secret diplomacy. Analysts say that America and the Taliban have come together against ISKP, which is trained by Pakistan. In return for this deal, the Taliban wants America to give it money and diplomatic recognition. China's border is just a few hundred kilometers away from the Bagram Airbase. The Chinese nuclear program runs in this area. If the US Army comes back to Bagram, it may anger China, which is investing heavily in Afghanistan. China has its eyes on Afghanistan's mineral treasure worth billions of dollars.