Exclusive Details Emerge on Afghan "Zero Unit" Ties to National Guard Shooting Suspect
Rahmanullah Lakanwal, the suspect in Monday's deadly shooting of four US National Guard members, had a murky past with the CIA-backed Afghan intelligence unit known as the Kandahar Strike Force or "03" unit - one of the infamous "Zero Units" that operated alongside US forces during the war in Afghanistan.
According to sources close to the investigation, Lakanwal was part of the elite unit for eight years and worked closely with the CIA. The "03" unit, comprised exclusively of Afghan nationals, was considered one of the most trusted domestic forces in Afghanistan, but its secrecy and alleged brutality have raised eyebrows among human rights groups.
Lakanwal's involvement with the unit has sparked questions about his potential connections to terrorism. While US officials say there is no concrete evidence linking him to any terrorist organization, a former senior Afghan general confirmed that Lakanwal was deeply troubled by the casualties in this unit - and recent events, including the killing of his close friend overseas.
The investigation has also shed light on how the "Zero Units" benefited from their association with the US government. As members of these elite units were deemed high-risk targets for Taliban retaliation, they were offered asylum in the US as part of a guarantee program. This came to fruition during the August 2021 evacuation from Kabul.
The Afghan government's current leadership has yet to comment on Lakanwal's arrest, fueling further speculation about his past activities.
Rahmanullah Lakanwal, the suspect in Monday's deadly shooting of four US National Guard members, had a murky past with the CIA-backed Afghan intelligence unit known as the Kandahar Strike Force or "03" unit - one of the infamous "Zero Units" that operated alongside US forces during the war in Afghanistan.
According to sources close to the investigation, Lakanwal was part of the elite unit for eight years and worked closely with the CIA. The "03" unit, comprised exclusively of Afghan nationals, was considered one of the most trusted domestic forces in Afghanistan, but its secrecy and alleged brutality have raised eyebrows among human rights groups.
Lakanwal's involvement with the unit has sparked questions about his potential connections to terrorism. While US officials say there is no concrete evidence linking him to any terrorist organization, a former senior Afghan general confirmed that Lakanwal was deeply troubled by the casualties in this unit - and recent events, including the killing of his close friend overseas.
The investigation has also shed light on how the "Zero Units" benefited from their association with the US government. As members of these elite units were deemed high-risk targets for Taliban retaliation, they were offered asylum in the US as part of a guarantee program. This came to fruition during the August 2021 evacuation from Kabul.
The Afghan government's current leadership has yet to comment on Lakanwal's arrest, fueling further speculation about his past activities.
this whole thing is so messed up i mean what even was the Kandahar Strike Force or "Zero Unit" doing in afghanistan? sounds like they were basically a secret squad of bad apples who got away with some serious stuff and now we're reaping the consequences 
. it's wild that lakanwal just happened to be part of this unit for 8 years and worked closely with cia - what does that even mean? did he get brainwashed or something? 
also how many other people were involved in this program and are they all getting asylum too? 
the whole asylum thing is sketchy too, how many people got screwed over by that system? 
and what's up with Lakanwal's past? was he really as troubled as everyone says or was it all just a cover story? 
gotta keep an eye on this one, it smells like a major conspiracy 
meanwhile, the Afghan government's all quiet on this, because of course they are - what do we know about their involvement in this whole debacle? 
but at the same time, it's all so shady... human rights groups are saying these units were basically untouchable and that they did some pretty bad stuff. 
this whole asylum thing in the us is wild too 
. what's even more messed up is that the US govt basically used these elite units as human shields to get outta Afghanistan without having to deal w/ the consequences of their own actions 
wasn't it supposed to be a partnership with US forces to keep the peace in Afghanistan? now they're using him as a scapegoat for whatever happened on Monday... meanwhile, we're not hearing much from the Afghan gov about their role in all this 
. And the fact that these "Zero Units" got asylum in the US as part of some guarantee program? That just seems like a big ol' mess