US President Donald Trump has threatened Afghanistan that "bad things will happen" if it does not return Bagram air base to the United States. In the past, Afghan Taliban leaders have refused to give up the base.
Two days ago, Trump announced that Washington intends to retake the large air base north of Kabul, which was under United States control until the sudden withdrawal of the American military in 2021.
Trump has cited the base's location near China as the main reason for the US retaking it.
"If Afghanistan does not return Bagram Air Base to those who built it, the United States of America, bad things will happen," Trump said on the evening of September 20 in a post on social media.
Later, speaking to reporters at the White House, he repeated the threat, but did not elaborate or explain what bad things might happen.
"We're talking to Afghanistan now, and we want it [the base] back, and we want it quickly, immediately. And if they don't, you'll find out for yourself what I'm going to do," he told reporters.
The Taliban, battered by unrest, natural disasters, poverty and terrorist attacks, have attempted to improve ties with the international community, and Russia remains the only country to have established diplomatic relations with them so far.
