A former Afghan member of an elite CIA counterterrorism unit, allegedly used to target terrorists, was allowed into the United States under humanitarian parole and subsequently shot two National Guardsmen just blocks from the White House. Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, served in Afghanistan's southern region with NDS-03, a unit that operated out of "Mullah Omar's house" – an former compound used by the Taliban leader.
The CIA unit members were highly vetted and trained to carry out counterterrorism missions against the Taliban, Al Qaeda, and other groups. Lakanwal entered the U.S. in 2021 under Operation Allies Welcome, a program aimed at resettle vulnerable Afghans who had helped U.S. troops in the past.
Lakanwal's asylum application was approved under the Trump administration in April 2025, according to Afghan Evac, a non-profit group that works with Afghans on Special Immigrant Visas (SIV). He began working with the CIA around 2011, at age 15, and underwent continuous annual vetting since arriving in the U.S.
Critics say Lakanwal's case highlights the need for better vetting of Afghan nationals entering the country. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro and FBI Director Kash Patel criticized the vetting process during a press conference, saying that thousands of people were allowed into the country without proper background checks or vetting.
The CIA reportedly conducted its own vetting through databases like the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) database to see if Lakanwal had any ties to terrorist groups. However, no issues were found.
The CIA unit members were highly vetted and trained to carry out counterterrorism missions against the Taliban, Al Qaeda, and other groups. Lakanwal entered the U.S. in 2021 under Operation Allies Welcome, a program aimed at resettle vulnerable Afghans who had helped U.S. troops in the past.
Lakanwal's asylum application was approved under the Trump administration in April 2025, according to Afghan Evac, a non-profit group that works with Afghans on Special Immigrant Visas (SIV). He began working with the CIA around 2011, at age 15, and underwent continuous annual vetting since arriving in the U.S.
Critics say Lakanwal's case highlights the need for better vetting of Afghan nationals entering the country. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro and FBI Director Kash Patel criticized the vetting process during a press conference, saying that thousands of people were allowed into the country without proper background checks or vetting.
The CIA reportedly conducted its own vetting through databases like the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) database to see if Lakanwal had any ties to terrorist groups. However, no issues were found.
what's up with this? some clown who was trained to take out terrorists ends up shooting two national guardsmen right outside the white house and nobody bats an eye... i mean, sure he went through some vetting process but come on, a 15-year-old kid joins the CIA and suddenly we're letting him into the country without a second thought? 
it just don't add up. I'm not saying he's guilty or anything, but this whole thing reeks of 'we messed up'...
... I mean, think about it, we used to have a system where you couldn't just waltz into the States with like, "I'm an Afghan refugee" and start working for the CIA right off the bat 
. Back in my day, if someone from Afghanistan wanted to work with the US government, they had to go through some serious hoops – like, actual background checks 
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. I'm not saying he's definitely guilty or anything, but come on, two National Guardsmen shot just blocks from the White House? That's some serious red flag waving 
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. Now we're just winging it and hoping for the best 
. It's like, what's next? We're gonna let anyone in with a cute face and a sad story 
...
. It's shocking that someone with a history of working closely with the CIA and being involved in counterterrorism operations was allowed into the US without proper vetting. I mean, you'd think that would be a major red flag, right?
This is a great example of how not to vet someone... especially when they're applying for asylum under humanitarian parole. I mean, come on! 
Can we get back to properly vetting people who want to come into our country? This is getting out of hand... 
. And don't even get me started on this Operation Allies Welcome program - it sounds like just a way to let unscreened Afghans waltz into the country 
. What if there are others out there with, say, questionable ties? It's just too easy to overlook someone's shady past and hope they turn out okay 
. I get that the vetting process can be complex, but come on! We're talking about someone who's worked closely with the CIA and had access to sensitive information 
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. It's just crazy to me that someone with Lakanwal's history was able to slip through the cracks 
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but let's be real, the vetting process isn't perfect, it's not like they just let anyone in willy-nilly 
they did do their own checks and everything came back clear 
so can we please just give this guy a break? 
We're all trying to do what's right, but sometimes we overlook the bigger picture. I mean, Rahmanullah Lakanwal was vetted like crazy and still managed to get away with being a threat to public safety. It's like he slipped through the cracks, and now two innocent lives were lost. 
What can we learn from this? We need to be careful about who we trust and how thoroughly we check our assumptions. I'm not saying Lakanwal was a bad guy or that the vetting system is flawed entirely... but it's clear that more could've been done to prevent this tragedy. Let's all take a moment to reflect on how we can do better, for ourselves and for those around us 
but ended up shooting two National Guardsmen just blocks from the White House 
. I mean, who vetted him? The CIA is supposed to be all about protecting the country, not putting Americans in harm's way 
. It's like they say, you can't let your guard down (no pun intended 
#JusticeForTheGuardmen #VettingFail #CIAAccountability
meanwhile I'm still waiting for my green card since 2015 
i mean come on @ciahad enough vetting process in place or something? 29 yrs old and still managed to get away with being a potential threat 
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. This could lead to important changes in our immigration policies and procedures 
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