Afghanistan Peace CampaignThousands of containers, barracks, restaurants, hospitals, shops, and even gyms were built within the base.
Bagram Air Base was first constructed in the 1950s with assistance from the Soviet Union.
During the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan between 1979 and 1989, the base became the primary hub for Soviet air operations, with thousands of combat missions launched from there against the Mujahideen.
After the fall of Dr. Najibullah’s government and the onset of the civil war, Bagram changed hands multiple times among various factions. It was eventually revitalized with the arrival of U.S. and NATO forces in 2001, becoming one of the most strategic military installations in the world.
Under U.S. control, Bagram evolved into a “military city,” featuring two runways over three kilometers long, capable of handling fighter jets, bombers, and massive transport aircraft.
Thousands of containers, barracks, restaurants, hospitals, shops, and even gyms were built within the base.
For many American soldiers, Bagram became a “second home,” though the concrete walls and barbed wire were constant reminders of the front lines.
Fazl Manallah Momtaz, a political analyst, stated: “Bagram Air Base was extremely important. Before the Americans, the Soviets focused heavily on it to maintain oversight over the region.”
Over the past two decades, three U.S. presidents — George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump — visited Bagram. Joe Biden also visited the base in 2011 while serving as Vice President.
In the summer of 2021, shortly before the return of the Islamic Emirate to power, U.S. forces abruptly abandoned Bagram during the night. By morning, Afghan soldiers and local residents arrived in disbelief at an empty base that had symbolized the international presence in Afghanistan for two decades.
Sayed Abdullah Sadeq, another political analyst, said: “Afghanistan is itself a strategic point, and Bagram was one of the largest and most significant airfields — seized by the Americans after their arrival.”
But Bagram was not just a military base; its infamous prison gained international notoriety. Hundreds of Afghans suspected of ties to the Islamic Emirate or al-Qaeda were detained and interrogated there.
Numerous reports of torture and harsh conditions turned Bagram into what many came to call “the Guantanamo of Afghanistan.”
Ahmad Khan Andar, a military analyst, remarked: “They built a prison within this base, where they brought Afghans labeled as supporters of al-Qaeda and the Taliban, and subjected them to brutal torture.”
Following the U.S. withdrawal, former President Donald Trump repeatedly — more than 20 times — insisted that the United States should never have relinquished Bagram. Nearly every time he mentioned the base, he immediately referenced China, claiming that Bagram had fallen into Beijing’s hands.