The Taliban has vowed not to give up “even one metre” of Afghanistan after Donald Trump said he wanted a former US air base in the country back.

Bagram, the largest air base in Afghanistan, located north of Kabul, was the centre of US operations during the 20-year war with the Taliban.

The American president warned that “bad things” would happen if Kabul did not return the site to US control, four years after it was abandoned by US troops.

“Even if you recognise us and rebuild from scratch – let alone Bagram – we will not give up even one metre of this country,” said Amir Khan Muttaqi, the country’s foreign minister.

“This is our stance, and this is the stance of the people.”

He added: “If it had been possible, why didn’t we accept these deals over 20 years ago, after all the martyrs and destruction?”

Mr Muttaqi’s response followed the warning by Mr Trump on his Truth Social platform, in which he said: “If Afghanistan doesn’t give Bagram airbase back to those that built it, the United States of America, bad things are going to happen!”

The US gave up control of Bagram shortly before the Taliban took over Afghanistan in 2021. It served as the linchpin of US-led operations in the country for two decades from the start of America’s mission to topple the group in 2001 in the wake of the 9/11 attack.