Victims are US Guardsmen Sarah Beckstrom (deceased) and Andrew Wolfe (injured).
The GOP and the White House may be hoping Rahmanullah Lakanwal is a Marinus van der Lubbe? Too soon to tell, as long as he’s not dead, because the ICE cosplay death squads need their continuing anonymity in the service of mass deportation and migration called now a “permanent pause”. Why does the Trump Administration think Afghans are not like Cubans in the US - What about it, Secretary Rubio?
Rahmanullah Lakanwal, the man who authorities say shot two National Guardsmen outside the White House, had previously worked in a CIA-backed “Zero Unit” in Afghanistan, often called “death squads” by human rights groups. “The United States made this person into a child soldier, and now is experiencing what I think is one of the most horrifically bright-line cases of imperial blowback that we’ve seen throughout the 'war on terror,'” says Spencer Ackerman, journalist and author focused on U.S. military and foreign policy.
www.democracynow.org/…
New footage shows Rahmanullah Lakanwal with a revolver as a National Guard member returns fire; other Guardsman repositioning after initial attack, assailant on the right.
The Trump administration approved Rahmanullah Lakanwal's amnesty claim in April 2025
D.C. National Guard shooting suspect spent "weeks on end" in isolation, struggled with mental health, 2024 emails say
According to a former Afghan commando who spoke with CBS News, Lakanwal led a unit of Afghan special forces in the south of the country and worked closely with the international troops before the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. The former commando also said that Lakanwal was left deeply troubled by the death of a close friend and fellow Afghan commander in 2024, whom the former commando said had unsuccessfully sought asylum in the U.S.
Lakanwal applied for asylum in December 2024, which is a lawful immigration process overseen by the Department of Homeland Security. As part of that process, he would have gone through extensive vetting —- including background checks, social media reviews, and in-person interviews. He passed his reviews and was eventually granted asylum in April 2025.
www.cbsnews.com/...
GROK
- The post shares purported new footage and stills from the November 2025 Washington, D.C., shooting where Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal allegedly ambushed two National Guard members, killing one and critically wounding the other, while claiming the video shows clear signs of editing when slowed.
- Video frames depict a daytime street pursuit involving a uniformed figure with a revolver near green foliage and buildings, consistent with bodycam-style capture, but the author's note highlights artifacts suggesting digital alteration, potentially to influence public perception of the incident.
- Lakanwal, a former CIA-backed Afghan operative resettled in the U.S. in 2021, faced reported mental health struggles and financial woes; scrutiny of video authenticity underscores risks of misinformation in high-profile cases involving immigration and security, as seen in ongoing investigations into his motives.
Trump Vows to Pause Migration from “Third World Countries” After Fatal National Guard Shooting
We look at President Trump’s call to pause all asylum decisions after an Afghan man who once worked for the CIA opened fire near the White House last Wednesday, shooting two National Guard members, killing one. Rahmanullah Lakanwal entered the United States in 2021 through Operation Allies Welcome, a program that saw the U.S. evacuate thousands of Afghans who faced reprisals from the Taliban over their work with the U.S. and the former U.S.-backed government.
Trump has since said that he will “permanently pause migration from all Third World Countries.” Afghan refugees have “been stuck in limbo in the United States, and now they’re being targeted by President Trump’s political stunts,” says Shawn VanDiver, founder and president of #AfghanEvac. Laila Ayub, executive director of Project ANAR, says the Trump administration is using the tragedy to “scapegoat and collectively punish an entire community.”
As part of the investigation, U.S. intelligence analysts are combing Lakanwal's communications and online footprint for signs of international coordination or ideological radicalization, multiple U.S. officials said. An early review of his social media and messaging channels has not revealed links to foreign handlers or extremist groups
www.democracynow.org/...
There are terms of Trump’s de facto surrender to the Taliban, because “it was not a surrender”; rather as an LLM says: “it was a diplomatic effort aimed at ending the long-standing conflict.” Just like the wars in Korea (technically still at war), Vietnam, and Iraq plus what the Trump administration wants for Ukraine.
Donald Trump did not ‘surrender’ to the Taliban. However, during his presidency, he initiated negotiations with the Taliban, leading to the U.S.-Taliban Agreement signed in February 2020. This agreement outlined a withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan in exchange for commitments from the Taliban to reduce violence and engage in peace talks with the Afghan government.
The agreement was contentious and faced criticism, particularly regarding its implications for security and governance in Afghanistan. It ultimately set the stage for the Taliban's rapid takeover of the country following the U.S. withdrawal in August 2021, but it was not a surrender; rather, it was a diplomatic effort aimed at ending the long-standing conflict. (duck.ai)
2024 The U.S. Department of State has confirmed that it sends $80 million in cash to Afghanistan under Taliban control every 10 to 14 days. This comes as the Taliban, since June does not disclose the receipt of $40 million packages through the media to avoid criticism.
afghanistanpeacecampaign.org/...
