US, NATO forces evacuated Bagram Airbase | PKNNTV

 All US and NATO forces have evacuated the largest Bagram airbase in Afghanistan, signaling a complete withdrawal of foreign troops.

A spokesman for the Afghan Ministry of Defense said the US military had formally handed over Bagram Airbus to the Afghan Ministry of Defense, according to AFP.

Afghan Defense Ministry spokesman Fawad Aman said on Twitter that US and coalition forces had completely evacuated the airbase, so the Afghan army would protect it and use it for counter-terrorism operations.

Bagram Airbase, about 50km from Kabul, has been a key player in US military operations in Afghanistan, with airstrikes against the Taliban and their al-Qaeda affiliate.

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

On the other hand, the Afghan Taliban have stepped up operations across the country over the past two months. Dozens of districts have been captured, while Afghan security forces have maintained influence 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.

For the past several years, Bagram Airbase has been populated like 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 the Taliban.

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 10-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.

The airbase has also come under rocket fire from 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.