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IEA rejects Trump’s Bagram remarks, vows no compromise on Afghan sovereignty
Fitrat insisted Afghanistan’s armed forces were capable of defending the country without foreign assistance.
The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) has firmly rejected U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent comments on reclaiming Bagram Air Base, declaring that no deal would ever be made on Afghan soil.
Fasihuddin Fitrat, Chief of Staff of the Afghan Armed Forces, addressed the issue on Sunday during a graduation ceremony at the Air Force University in Kabul.
“We will never make a deal. Afghanistan is fully independent, governed by its own people, and is not dependent on any foreign power,” Fitrat said. He added that Afghans had fought for decades to secure their sovereignty and would not accept any form of foreign domination.
“Those who extend a hand of friendship remain our friends. Those who extend a hand of force or hostility will face our strongest opposition,” he warned.
Referring to the U.S. withdrawal in 2021, Fitrat said Afghan resistance had forced international troops to leave after two decades of conflict. “The last 20 years of struggle show that foreign forces were forced to retreat. Those who haven’t yet understood this reality will learn,” he remarked.
The comments came in direct response to Trump’s recent remarks at a press conference and on Truth Social, where he suggested the United States was seeking to regain control of Bagram and warned that “bad things” could happen if the base was not returned.
Fitrat insisted Afghanistan’s armed forces were capable of defending the country without foreign assistance.
“We do not fear any bully or aggressor. Over the past 20 years, we have proven that we have the capability to protect our soil. In the near future, Afghanistan’s airspace and territory will be fully secure,” he said.
Bagram, once the largest U.S. military base in Afghanistan, has remained under Islamic Emirate control since the 2021 withdrawal. Trump’s latest remarks mark the first time he has publicly threatened consequences if the site is not returned to U.S. hands.
International Sports
Tottenham face Charlton as ATN brings live EFL Cup action to Afghan fans
Football fans across Afghanistan can watch Tottenham Hotspur take on Charlton Athletic live on Ariana Television Network (ATN) tonight, Wednesday, August 26, with coverage beginning at 23:15 Kabul time.
The two London clubs meet in the second round of the EFL Cup, with Tottenham looking to progress while Charlton will aim to produce an upset against their Premier League opponents.
Tottenham enter the match as favourites on paper, with their greater top-flight experience expected to make them the stronger side. However, cup football can produce surprises, and Charlton will be looking to take advantage of any opportunity at their disposal.
The match provides Tottenham with another chance to build momentum early in the season, while Charlton will see the tie as an opportunity to test themselves against one of England’s biggest clubs.
The EFL Cup remains an important route to silverware for clubs across the English football pyramid, with teams aiming to advance through each round toward the final at Wembley.
Afghanistan fans can watch Tottenham Hotspur vs Charlton Athletic live tonight on Ariana Television, from 23:15 Kabul time.
Latest News
UNICEF warns one million Afghan children at risk of death from malnutrition
The United Nations has warned that around one million children in Afghanistan are suffering from life-threatening severe acute malnutrition and could die without urgent treatment.
UNICEF said on Tuesday that about 3.7 million children across Afghanistan are suffering from wasting, a condition caused by acute malnutrition.
Tajudeen Oyewale, UNICEF’s representative in Afghanistan, said around one million of these children are suffering from severe acute malnutrition, which is considered the most dangerous form of acute hunger.
“If there is no treatment and we are not able to act fast, that one million number are at risk of dying,” Oyewale said during a media briefing in Geneva, speaking from Kabul.
He said the nutrition crisis is worsening across the country, with more than 500,000 children requiring hospital care so far this year for moderate and severe wasting.
According to UNICEF, nearly 40 percent of children admitted to hospitals with severe wasting and medical complications are babies younger than six months. Children under the age of two account for more than 80 percent of severe acute malnutrition cases.
Oyewale said malnutrition is playing a major role in the increasing number of deaths among very young children in Afghanistan.
The situation has also placed growing pressure on hospitals. In July last year, around 6,000 severe malnutrition cases were recorded, while the number rose by about one-third to more than 8,000 cases by July this year.
“In parts of southern Afghanistan, some hospitals are now seeing three or four severely malnourished children for every available bed,” Oyewale said.
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