Taliban hand Bagram back to US for high-tech operations

KABUL: Nearly four years after the United States withdrew its forces from Afghanistan, a surprising development has emerged from the war-torn nation, foreign media reported.

According to a report by Afghanistan’s Khaama Press, the United States has retaken control of Bagram Airfield, a sprawling military base north of Kabul, at the request of the Taliban government. The report, published on April 7, 2025, claims that several U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III aircraft landed at the base last week, carrying military vehicles, equipment, and senior intelligence officials, including CIA Deputy Director Michael Ellis.

While flight tracking data has confirmed the arrival of these aircraft, neither U.S. nor Taliban officials have officially verified the handover, leaving the situation shrouded in uncertainty. Zabihullah Mujahid, taliban spokesperson, dismissed reports of a U.S. C-17 landing at Bagram Airbase as “propaganda,” asserting that no foreign military presence is needed or allowed in Afghanistan.