A man accused of shooting two National Guard members in Washington, D.C. this week previously served with military units supported by U.S. intelligence during the war in Afghanistan, officials have confirmed.
The suspect, identified as a 29-year-old Afghan national, entered the United States in the fall of 2021 under a program offering visas to certain Afghans who had worked for the U.S. government. Intelligence authorities verified that his prior involvement was as part of a partnered force in southern Afghanistan, an association that concluded around the time of the U.S. withdrawal.
Reports indicate the individual had worked with multiple U.S. government entities overseas, including a unit in Kandahar province that received support from American intelligence.
In response to the incident, the federal agency responsible for immigration benefits announced an immediate and indefinite halt to processing applications from Afghan nationals. The pause is pending a full review of security and screening procedures, the agency stated.
Following the attack, which authorities have labeled an act of terrorism, a directive was issued to deploy several hundred additional National Guard personnel to the capital. The White House characterized the event as underscoring a critical national security challenge related to immigration.