US, NATO forces evacuate Bagram Airbase in Afghanistan

All United States (US) and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) forces have evacuated Bagram airbase, the largest in Afghanistan, signaling a complete withdrawal of foreign troops.

According to the details, Bagram Airbase, about 50km from Kabul, has been a major focus of US military operations in Afghanistan, from where airstrikes have been carried out against the Taliban and their al-Qaeda affiliate.

An official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told AFP that “all coalition forces have left Bagram. When will it be handed over to the Afghan army?” “We have no information that the base has been formally handed over to Afghan forces,” a senior Afghan official told AFP.

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It should be noted that the US military and NATO are in the final stages of deployment in Afghanistan, and a deadline of September 11 has been set for the withdrawal of all forces.

On the other hand, over the past two months, the Afghan Taliban have stepped up operations across the country, capturing dozens of districts, while the Afghan security forces remain influential in key urban areas of the country.

Maintaining control of Afghan forces at Bagram Airbase could help maintain law and order around Kabul and keep pressure on the Taliban. Over the years, Bagram Airbase has grown into a small town with millions of US and NATO troops and contractors. There are also recreational facilities and this base has been used as a prison for Taliban and jihadists.

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Bagram Airbase was established during the Cold War in the 1950s. It was built by the United States for its Afghan ally in the north as a defensive front against the Soviet Union. It remained important during the Soviet confrontation in Afghanistan in 1979, and was expanded by Russian forces during their ten-year occupation of Afghanistan.

It was also the center of the civil war after the Russian withdrawal from Afghanistan. There was a time when part of its three-kilometer runway was occupied by the Taliban and the other by the Northern Alliance.

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The airbase has also come under rocket fire from Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in recent months, raising fears that extremist elements could launch more attacks in the future. Following the withdrawal of foreign troops, NATO non-combatants have pledged to train Afghan forces for the country’s security.

As of February 2021, there were 9,500 foreign troops in Afghanistan, with a maximum of 2,500 US troops. So far, Germany and Italy have confirmed that all their forces have returned.

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