D.C. shooter worked with the CIA in Afghanistan

November 28, 2025 – The man who ambushed U.S. troops in D.C. worked with the CIA in Afghanistan. Rahmanullah Lakanwal reportedly underwent extensive counterterrorism vetting by both the National Counterterrorism Center and the CIA.

Rahmanullah Lakanwal served in an elite CIA-backed Afghan paramilitary unit known as NDS-03, part of the so-called "Zero Units," where he conducted counterterrorism operations alongside U.S. Special Forces in southern Afghanistan.

NDS-03 operated primarily in Kandahar, Helmand, and Uruzgan provinces, conducting high-risk counterterrorism missions against the Taliban, al-Qaeda, and other insurgent groups. These missions often involved night raids, intelligence gathering, and direct action operations.

The unit was based out of Camp Gecko, a former compound of Taliban leader Mullah Omar, which became a key CIA outpost during the war.

Members of these units, including Lakanwal, were highly vetted and trained by the CIA. They were considered among the most trusted Afghan partners by U.S. intelligence and military officials.

After the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, Lakanwal entered the U.S. under Operation Allies Welcome, a Biden Administration program that was designed to resettle Afghans who had supported U.S. efforts.

He lived in Bellingham, Washington, with his wife and five children where they lived together in an apartment.

Lakanwal applied for asylum in December 2024. His request was approved in April 2025. While the asylum was granted to him, his family's legal status was likely tied to his application, as is common in derivative asylum cases, though specific documentation on their individual asylum status has not been publicly confirmed.

On November 27, Lakenwal (a CIA trained killer) ambushed West Virginia National Guardsmen near the Farragust West Metro Station - just two blocks from the Whitehouse.

20 year old Specialist Sarah Beckstrom has died from her wounds. 24-year-old Air Force Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolfe remains in critical condition. A third Guardsman shot Lakanwal. Law enforcement has said that his injuries are not considered life-threatening.

The FBI is investigating the shooting as an act of terrorism.

Lakenwal is believed to have acted alone.

President Donald Trump has announced a full review of all Afghan evacuees admitted under OAW and ordered a halt to new immigration processing from Afghanistan.

The advocacy group #AfghanEvac, which supported Afghan resettlement, confirmed that Lakenwal was heavily scrutinized before receiving asylum.

The incident has intensified scrutiny of the Biden administration's handling of the 2021 evacuation from Afghanistan. All OAW applicants were subject to "rigorous screening and vetting" to mitigate security risks.

President Trump has stated that his administration is considering deporting Lakanwal's family, though no final decision has been announced.

(AI contributed to this report.)

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