Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan national under investigation for the fatal shooting of two National Guard members in Washington, DC, has been revealed to have prior intelligence ties with the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) during the U.S. military occupation of Afghanistan. According to U.S. officials, Lakanwal was admitted into the United States under a special evacuation program designed for Afghans who had worked with Western military forces, particularly those who had collaborations with the CIA. This program was initially established after the Taliban retook control of Afghanistan in 2021 as part of a broader effort to rescue vulnerable Afghans who had supported the U.S. and its allies.
CIA Director John Ratcliffe stated in a recent public address that Lakanwal was permitted to enter the U.S. in September 2021 due to his prior work with the U.S. government, including his role in a partner force in Kandahar, which ceased operations shortly after the chaotic withdrawal of Allied forces in August 2021. Ratcliffe expressed strong disapproval, asserting that individuals such as Lakanwal, and countless others, should not have been granted entry into the country. His comments echoed those of former President Donald Trump, who had previously criticized his successor, President Joe Biden, for the "disastrous" decision to withdraw U.S. troops and leave behind many Afghan allies.
The incident unfolded on Wednesday, when Lakanwal opened fire on two West Virginia National Guard members while they were conducting a routine street patrol in the capital. US Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom succumbed to her injuries on the following day, while US Air Force Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolfe remained in critical condition. These fatalities have sparked further scrutiny of the visa and refugee status of individuals who entered the U.S. under these evacuation programs. Meanwhile, FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed that Lakanwal had a close relationship with partner forces in Afghanistan and that his past connections are currently under investigation. Patel’s comments underline the ongoing concerns about the potential of such individuals to pose a threat to national security, even after their entry into the U.S. The investigation into Lakanwal’s actions is expected to shed light on the broader implications of the U.S. withdrawal and the challenges of integrating former allies into a foreign country with complex security threats.
Further details have been provided through statements from the BBC’s Afghan Service, which cited a former military commander who had served alongside Lakanwal. According to the commander, Lakanwal was employed as a GPS tracker specialist in a unit known as Scorpion Forces, which had operated under the CIA’s oversight before being reorganized under Afghanistan’s National Directorate of Security. The commander also confirmed that Lakanwal was stationed in Kabul just days before the Taliban’s takeover in August 2021 and was subsequently evacuated to the U.S. via a military aircraft six days after the fall of the capital. These details further complicate the narrative about Lakanwal’s activities and whereabouts before entering the United States, raising questions about his motivations and potential intentions during his time in the country.