Taliban warns neighbours against allowing US military bases after troop withdrawal

Amid the withdrawal of US troops and NATO forces from Afghanistan, the Taliban on Wednesday warned neighbouring countries against allowing the United States to operate military bases on their soil, pursuant to media reports alleging that Pakistan has struck an agreement with Washington.

Citing Radio Free Afghanistan, Afghan Online Press amid speculation reported that the Taliban issued a warning in a statement that the Pentagon is eying potential bases in the region to combat insurgents after the scheduled pullout of troops of the US  and NATO forces from Afghanistan by September 11 this year.  

No American base on Pakistan soil

Sonny Leggett, a US military spokesman in Afghanistan, said that speculation of the United States is sought to erect military bases in Pakistan are "false", reported Afghan Online Press. 

Earlier, addressing the Pakistani Senate on Tuesday, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said the government of Prime Minister Imran Khan "will never allow any American base on its soil". In its statement, though without naming a neighbouring State, the Taliban urged other countries in the subcontinent to "not allow anyone to do so".

The insurgents stated, "If such a step is taken again, it will be a great and historic mistake and disgrace. We will not remain silent in the face of such heinous and provocative acts."

The US military is currently conducting retrograde operations to leave Afghanistan. US military personnel and equipment are scheduled to be shipped back by September 11 deadline. After 20 years of war, Biden's administration pledged to withdraw over 2,500 US cum NATO troops from Afghanistan. The US invasion of Afghanistan took place following the September 11 terrorist attacks in 2001. The invasion was supported by close US allies 

"Operation Enduring Freedom” in U.S. military parlance denotes the invasion of Afghanistan. The US forces aimed to dismantle Al-Qaeda, further depriving it of a safe base of terror activities in Afghanistan and eliminating the Taliban control.

On the other hand, after recent Intra Afghan peace talks or the Extended “Troika” in Doha between the US and the Russian Federation, the People’s Republic of China, and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan during the Extended “Troika”. The United States called on the Afghan Taliban to “fulfil its counter-terrorism commitments” and to ensure that no terrorist organisations use the Afghan soil to harm any other country. 

Meanwhile, violence has intensified in Afghanistan since the United States missed a May 1 deadline, agreed with the Taliban last year, to withdraw all of its troops.