The Afghan national accused of carrying out the deadly ambush on National Guard members near the White House is believed to have endured years of psychological trauma stemming from his service in a clandestine Afghan paramilitary team once supported by U.S. intelligence.
According to individuals familiar with his past, 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal served in the highly secretive “Zero Unit,” a counterterrorism group involved in intense night raids and combat missions during the war in Afghanistan. Those operations, described by former colleagues as brutal and mentally exhausting, reportedly left deep emotional damage that followed him long after the conflict.
After being resettled in the United States in 2021, Lakanwal lived quietly with his wife and five children in Washington state. Neighbors say he appeared withdrawn and struggled with ongoing mental health issues and substance use, even as he attempted to maintain a stable family life.
Investigators believe he drove across the country before allegedly attacking two West Virginia National Guard troops on patrol near a downtown Washington metro station. One guard member later died, while the second remains in critical condition. Lakanwal was shot by responding personnel and taken into custody.
Authorities are now examining his wartime background, mental health history, and potential motivations. The case has intensified debates over refugee vetting procedures and how unresolved trauma from overseas conflict zones can erupt years later, even after relocation to the United States.