For some time, in the wake of reports that India has moved out of the Ayni airbase in Tajikistan (which it has since the bilateral agreement has expired), there was speculation that India may be seeking to move into the Soviet-era Bagram airbase 60-km from the Afghan capital Kabul.

StratNewsGlobal learns that this is not the case and India has no interest in Bagram, nor has the Taliban invited India or asked it to refurbish the base. Rather they have conceded they are in talks with the US, which is keen to get back into Bagram four years after leaving Afghanistan.

What explains the US demand and why would the Taliban even talk to them on this issue? On paper it’s about the Taliban handing back remaining two American hostages of the five it held. But as always there’s more to it.

Sitti

See Full Page