White House Shooter Was Former CIA-Affiliated Afghan Special Forces Member
A new NBC News report has revealed that Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan national involved in last week’s deadly shooting near the White House, was previously a member of an elite Afghan unit known as ‘Unit Zero’ that operated under the supervision of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).
The 29-year-old suspect was responsible for the fatal shooting of 20-year-old U.S. National Guard member Sarah Bäckström and the injury of 24-year-old Andrew Wolf. U.S. security officials have confirmed that Lakanwal was formerly part of a group that conducted high-risk missions targeting opponents of the Afghan government in collaboration with the CIA.
These covert units were active until the full withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan in 2021. Amid security threats from the Taliban, many of their members were evacuated from Afghanistan following the U.S. exit. The organizational design of these groups aimed to neutralize specific targets without direct involvement from the regular Afghan army.
After relocating to the United States, many of these Afghan personnel encountered legal hurdles, lacked work permits, and experienced neglect from the federal government. Citing informed sources, NBC reported that worsening economic hardship and legal uncertainty may be driving some individuals toward desperation and violence.
Some former CIA operatives have urged the administrations of both President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden to address the plight of these individuals. Meanwhile, the Taliban government’s continued indifference to former Afghan forces who collaborated with international entities has also exacerbated the crisis.
