Background Information on Afghan Terrorists

The DC National Guardsmen shooter isn't the only one

Two National Guardsmen were shot today in DC. They have serious injuries according to most reports. I hope they pull through, make a full recovery, and that justice is swift. The alleged gunman was Afghanistan-born Rahmanullah Lakanwal, and he likely flew to the US during the chaotic military withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. He likely obtained legal status through humanitarian parole, although he may have held another immigration status (possibly granted asylum in April 2025). We’ll learn more about Lakanwal in the coming days and weeks, including his motives. Although we don’t know those yet, there’s a good chance that he was a terrorist. Below is some information on Afghanistan-born terrorists on US soil since 1975.

Before Lakanwal, zero people were murdered by the six Afghan terrorists who committed attacks or were convicted of plotting attacks on US soil. They were Najibullah Zazi, Zarein Ahmedzay, Ahmad Khan Rahimi, Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi, an Afghan juvenile with the surname of Akhi whose name was withheld, and Farhad Shakeri. All were motivated by Islamism. Rahimi was the most serious terrorist. He injured 33 in a series of bombings in September 2016. Zazi and Ahmedzay entered as refugees, Tawhedi on parole, juvenile Akhi as a green card holder through SIV, Shakeri on a green card, and Rahimi was an asylum-seeker.

Here’s more information about the context and scale of foreign-born terrorism in general.

There’s not much more information on Afghan terrorists because there haven’t been that many, and they haven’t successfully committed murder in their attacks. At least one of the National Guardsmen in DC is in critical condition tonight. If one of them passes away, Lakanwal will go down as the deadliest Afghanistan-born terrorist in US history. Here’s to hoping and praying that he doesn’t earn such a dubious distinction.