Photos of Nationwide Guard contributors Andrew Wolfe and Sarah Beckstrom, who had been shot on Nov. 26 in Washington, D.C., are displayed subsequent to an image of the suspect within the taking pictures, Afghan nationwide Rahmanullah Lakanwal, at the day of a information convention in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 27.
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Nathan Howard/REUTERS
They survived one of the vital Afghanistan Conflict’s maximum grueling and treacherous missions, frequently struggling with the Taliban in midnight raids and concrete gun battles. However as soon as evacuated to the U.S., many Afghan combatants who served in “0 Devices” led via the CIA discovered themselves spiraling into melancholy on account of what they noticed as bureaucratic forget and abandonment via the U.S. executive, a former CIA operative and a former Afghan fighter concerned within the gadgets advised NPR.
Amongst their ranks used to be Rahmanullah Lakanwal, the person charged with killing one Nationwide Guard soldier and critically injuring a 2nd after opening fireplace on them in Washington, DC on Thanksgiving Eve.
The sense of betrayal and frustration reduce so deep, some Afghan squaddies dwelling within the U.S. started threatening self-harm.
“Sadly, 4 other people took their lives,” stated Davud, who served as a battle translator in a 0 Unit for greater than a decade.
Davud, who lives now at the West Coast, agreed to be interviewed in regards to the struggles of his fellow squaddies provided that NPR known him via his first title and hid his identification. He stated he fears for the protection of his circle of relatives nonetheless dwelling below Taliban rule in Afghanistan.
Regardless of their provider to the U.S., many 0 Unit combatants have struggled to achieve asylum or everlasting residency within the U.S., consistent with Davud. He condemned Lakanwal’s alleged movements, however spoke of the overpowering psychological well being and emotional demanding situations combatants face dwelling in exile.
Whilst preventing below CIA management, 1000’s of squaddies like Davud and Lakanwal confronted one of the vital maximum harrowing battles of the 20-year Afghanistan battle, incessantly wearing out two and even 3 battle missions an evening. Their techniques had been incessantly brutal, and teams like Human Rights Watch accused them of attractive in torture and unlawful killings.
“I virtually were given killed via a grenade,” Davud advised NPR, describing one firefight when an American CIA agent stored his lifestyles. “He grabbed me from my frame armor and pulled me again.”
On this Aug. 22, 2021, document picture supplied via the U.S. Air Power, Afghan passengers board a U.S. Air Power C-17 Globemaster III right through the Afghanistan evacuation at Hamid Karzai World Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan.
MSgt. Donald R. Allen/U.S. Air Power by way of AP
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MSgt. Donald R. Allen/U.S. Air Power by way of AP
After being evacuated to the U.S. in 2021, when the Taliban swept into Kabul, many 0 Unit squaddies got here to really feel that they had been deserted via CIA officers. Regardless of years of provider — which Davud described as “a brotherhood” — he now believes the company didn’t assist his comrades navigate The usa’s advanced immigration gadget.
“It is that feeling of such as you did one thing that no one is appreciating,” he stated. “That promise that used to be given to you via your employer used to be a pretend promise.”
NPR despatched detailed inquiries to the CIA and to the U.S. Immigration and Citizenship and Immigration Services and products, inquiring for remark. Each businesses declined to remark at the document for this tale.
However many sides of Davud’s account of rising pressure and frustration amongst 0 Unit combatants dwelling within the U.S. had been showed via Geeta Bakshi, a former CIA agent who spent 4 years in Afghanistan.
“Those guys had been the top of the spear,” Bakshi stated, describing the CIA’s Afghan 0 Unit program in an interview with NPR. “They had been out at the entrance, in order that American workforce did not must be. They had been those going through the utmost threat at the battlefield.”
Bakshi now leads a refugee resettlement program, known as FAMIL, that makes a speciality of serving to 0 Unit squaddies rebuild their lives throughout the U.S. She says her group grew alarmed about emerging charges of self-harm amongst former Afghan squaddies starting in 2023.
“People from the 0 Devices sadly suffered deaths via self-harm,” Bakshi advised NPR. “We raised this factor with the Biden management and it used to be person who we had been very curious about. Once more, we noticed a right away connection to extended immigration delays.”
Bakshi and Davud described suffering to assist a rising choice of Afghan squaddies within the U.S. who had been spiraling into melancholy. Davud described one example the place a pal felt increasingly more hopeless as a result of his immigration standing made it tough for him to paintings.
“He used to be like, ‘I will pass kill myself,’ that is how unhealthy it used to be,” Davud stated. “I used to be very fearful for him, however we helped him.” That supposed providing friendship, counseling, and make stronger.
Bakshi described a separate incident the place a 0 Unit fighter gave the impression to be unraveling on account of repeated bureaucratic snafus via U.S. officers reviewing his immigration bureaucracy. “He used to be advised, ‘We would not have you within the gadget.’ This used to be a person who used to be in serious misery. What came about in his case is there used to be an error within the spelling of his title.”
That exact sooner or later gained a Inexperienced Card, Bakshi stated, including that with right kind make stronger many Afghan squaddies are adapting smartly to lifestyles in The usa. In uncommon instances the place 0 Unit squaddies ended their lives, the group has held memorials.
“We in most cases do a non secular funeral for them, on their behalf, announcing a prayer,” Davud stated.
Lakanwal, the 0 Unit fighter accused of fatally taking pictures one Nationwide Guard soldier and critically wounding any other, additionally struggled together with his immigration standing. He most effective gained asylum coverage from the Trump management in April of this 12 months, just about 4 years after coming to the U.S.
Like others who fought along the CIA in Afghanistan, Lakanwal gave the impression to be experiencing a non-public disaster which started no less than as early as January 2024, consistent with a refugee resettlement volunteer who labored with the Lakanwal circle of relatives in Bellingham, Wash. Emails shared with NPR display he, too, struggled to search out solid employment.
“My largest fear used to be that he would injury himself,” the volunteer advised NPR. “I fearful he could be suicidal as a result of he used to be so withdrawn.”
The volunteer spoke with NPR on situation of anonymity as a result of they stated they feared for his or her protection, in addition to the protection of others of their volunteer group, on account of conceivable retaliation for having labored with the Lakanwals and different Afghan refugees.
Place of birth Safety Secretary Kristi Noem has stated that U.S. officers consider Lakanwal used to be “radicalized” whilst dwelling in the USA, however the volunteer stated they noticed no indicators of radicalization. Noem presented no proof that Lakanwal used to be radicalized.
Davud, the 0 Unit fighter, stated he did not know Lakanwal in my view. He voiced sorrow that his group of Afghan squaddies wasn’t in a position to assist him in time.
“We had worse instances [of emotional distress] than Lakanwal however we discovered answers for them,” he stated.
Lakanwal has pleaded now not to blame to first stage homicide and different fees. Within the wake of the assault in Washington, D.C., the Trump management has frozen all Afghan asylum instances and officers say the criminal standing of refugees from Afghanistan dwelling within the U.S. is being reexamined.
Folks pay their respects to the fallen Nationwide Guardsman outdoor Farragut West Metro Station in Washington, DC, on November 28, 2025.
Andrew Thomas/NurPhoto by way of Reuters
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Andrew Thomas/NurPhoto by way of Reuters
CIA director John Ratcliffe recommended in a remark that Lakanwal and his fellow squaddies were not correctly vetted “This person — and such a lot of others — must have by no means been allowed to come back right here,” Ratcliffe stated.
FBI director Kash Patel additionally stated the Biden management failed to correctly vet “in anyway, form or shape this person and numerous others.”
That account used to be disputed via Davud., and Biden management officers who stated the Afghans underwent rigorous vetting.
“What they stated about Mr. Lakanwal wasn’t vetted? We had been all vetted,” he stated, describing years of scrutiny, together with polygraph assessments and detailed interviews via the CIA and different federal businesses, in Afghanistan and in the USA.
“We labored with them for 20 years,” Davud stated. “I used to be in point of fact stunned via the CIA director’s remark. I felt so betrayed.”
In case you or any individual you already know is suffering with ideas of suicide, you’ll be able to dial or textual content 988 and be attached to assist.
