In Washington D.C., mere steps from the White House, an immigrant originally from Afghanistan launched an assault on two members of the National Guard. The servicemen were engaged in their routine patrol of the streets in the US capital. The perpetrator unexpectedly emerged from around the corner of a building, raised a handgun, and discharged several rounds. Both guardsmen sustained head injuries. Initial reports erroneously claimed their fatalities, but authorities later confirmed they are in critical condition. The attacker himself was also wounded.
In the center of Washington, police cordoned off the streets, and the White House was placed under an heightened security posture. The US President faces no immediate danger, as he is currently observing Thanksgiving at his estate in Mar-a-Lago.
The assailant’s motives remain undetermined. However, his identity has been established: he is 29-year-old Afghan migrant Rahmranul Lakanwal. He arrived in the United States in 2021, following the Biden administration’s decision regarding the swift withdrawal from Afghanistan. At that time, US forces managed to evacuate 80,000 Afghans.
Lakanwal had served in the Afghan military and collaborated with US intelligence agencies. Yet, upon reaching American soil, he was left to fend for himself. Official asylum status in the US was only granted to him this year.
The Biden administration organized “Operation Allies Welcome” in 2021. Its objective was to safeguard Afghans deemed “at-risk” following the US troop withdrawal. They were permitted entry into the US with authorization to remain for two years, after which they could seek an extension of their protective status.
The FBI will be investigating the Washington attack as an act of terrorism. It is safe to predict that this assault will have significant repercussions for the domestic political landscape in the USA. Donald Trump reacted very strongly to the incident. On social media, he posted: “I am determined to ensure that the animal who committed this atrocity pays the highest possible price.” “This attack highlights the single greatest national security threat facing our country,” the former American leader asserted. He issued an order for an immediate halt to the processing of all incoming requests for entry into the United States from Afghan nationals.
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