The Afghan national accused of shooting two National Guard soldiers in what authorities are investigating as a possible terror attack near the White House once served alongside American troops in Afghanistan, according to a new report.
Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29‑year‑old Afghan who once served with U.S. troops in Kandahar, reportedly shot two National Guard soldiers near the White House on Wednesday in what officials are treating as a possible terror attack.
Lakanwal, who was wounded while serving in the Afghan army and later fled the country, entered the United States in September 2021 through the Biden administration’s refugee program known as Operation Allies Welcome.
A relative told NBC News that Lakanwal was “targeted by the Taliban in Afghanistan,” and he added, “I cannot believe it that he might do this.” Reporters say Lakanwal waited in a concealed spot close to the White House, then opened fire, striking one guard in the chest and head and shooting a second guard.
Returned gunfire from police wounded him. Police have not yet released the motive for the shooting. Lakanwal had been residing in Bellingham, Washington, a town near the Canadian border that has accepted Afghan refugees.
In a televised address on Tuesday night, President Donald Trump called the attack an “act of terror” and declared, “It was a crime against our entire nation. It was a crime against humanity.”
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