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By Isabella Harper | Staff Writer with Agencies
US authorities revealed new details Wednesday about the background of Rahmanullah Lakanwal, the 29-year-old suspect accused of shooting two National Guard members in Washington, DC. According to confirmation from the Central Intelligence Agency, Lakanwal had previously worked with CIA-supported military units during the United States’ long war in Afghanistan.
Lakanwal entered the United States in September 2021 under Operation Allies Welcome, a program created to offer refuge to Afghans who had assisted the US government during the conflict. His arrival followed the US withdrawal from Afghanistan, a period marked by a rapid and chaotic evacuation of American personnel and Afghan partners.
DC Shooting SHOCK: CIA Link Surfaces – What Will This Mean?!
Click, read https://t.co/1rLllpC0buThe suspect accused of shooting two National Guard members in Washington D.C. has a surprising past: BBC News reveals he previously worked with the CIA in Afgh…#Shooting #news pic.twitter.com/HexgDOnPXP
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Reports first emerged in The New York Times that the suspect had collaborated with several US government agencies, including a CIA-backed counterinsurgency unit based in Kandahar, a southern region once dominated by the Taliban. CIA director John Ratcliffe later confirmed these ties in public remarks, explaining that Lakanwal had served in a partner force supported by the agency until operations ended during the 2021 evacuation.
In the aftermath of the shooting, US Citizenship and Immigration Services announced an immediate halt to the processing of all immigration and residency applications from Afghan nationals. The agency said this suspension would remain in place pending a full review of security and vetting procedures.
President Donald Trump ordered an additional 500 National Guard members to Washington following the attack, characterizing the incident as an act of terror. He also reiterated his view that immigration represents what he described as the nation’s greatest security threat.
The investigation into the shooting continues, and officials have not yet released further information regarding Lakanwal’s motives or potential connections within the United States.