FEDERAL OFFICIALS HAVE NOT YET CONFIRMED ALLEGED TIES; INVESTIGATION INTENSIFIES
AFTER ATTACK ON NATIONAL GUARD SOLDIERS
Multiple reports claim the Afghan man accused of shooting National Guard soldiers near the White House once worked with a CIA-aligned partner force in Kandahar. Federal officials have not confirmed the alleged connection.
The investigation into the shooting of National Guard soldiers near the White House took a new turn Thursday as new reports surfaced alleging the suspect, identified as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, previously worked with a CIA partner force during U.S. operations in Kandahar, Afghanistan. Federal authorities have not yet confirmed these reported ties.
According to early reporting, Lakanwal may have been affiliated with a local intelligence or counterterrorism unit that cooperated with U.S. agencies before the withdrawal from Afghanistan. Sources familiar with Afghan partner-force structures caution that such networks were broad, varied in oversight and often not publicly documented.
Law-enforcement officials say the motive for the Washington, D.C., attack has not been determined. The shooting injured multiple National Guard soldiers assigned to a federal security perimeter near the White House. No evidence has been released linking the attack to any foreign organization, and officials stress the investigation remains active.
Security analysts note that if the reported CIA-aligned affiliation is confirmed, it would raise serious questions about vetting, resettlement protocols and gaps in U.S. interagency coordination following the 2021 evacuation from Afghanistan. Many Afghan nationals who worked alongside American forces were later admitted to the U.S. under humanitarian programs.
Advocacy groups warn that speculation should be tempered until federal agencies release verified details, noting that Afghan partner forces ranged from formal counterterrorism units to loosely structured militias with inconsistent documentation.
The FBI, Department of Homeland Security and Pentagon continue to coordinate on the case, and officials say more information will be released once forensic and intelligence reviews are finalized.
