US President Donald Trump announced on 27/11 the death of Sarah Beckstrom, one of two National Guard soldiers shot near the White House on 26/11. The suspect was identified as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan citizen who migrated to the US in 9/2021, one month after the Taliban took control of Afghanistan. Images shared on social media later revealed a military identification card for Lakanwal from his service in the Afghan army before its defeat by the Taliban. The card identifies Lakanwal as a member of the "Kandahar Strike Force (KSF)" or "03."

The KSF is one of the Afghan army's "Zero units," special forces groups that collaborated closely with the US and its allies during the war against the Taliban from 2001 to 2021. These units were composed solely of Afghan citizens and operated under the National Directorate of Security (NDS), Afghanistan's intelligence agency established with CIA support for the US-backed government. The NDS was disbanded after the Taliban's takeover.

The military ID believed to belong to suspect Rahmanullah Lakanwal, in an image posted on 27/11. Photo: X/shellenberger

The military ID also references "Firebase Gecko," a base used by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and US special forces in Kandahar, southern Afghanistan. This base was located within a complex previously used as a residence by Taliban founder Mullah Mohammad Omar. While US officials have not commented on the military ID image, CIA Director John Ratcliffe previously confirmed that the suspect had cooperated with the US government, including the intelligence agency, as a member of a partner force in Kandahar.

A former general from the previous Afghan government confirmed that the KSF was a special forces unit under the NDS. He stated, "This was a professional and highly active force, trained and equipped by the CIA. All their operations were conducted under CIA direction."

Suspect Rahmanullah Lakanwal in an image released on 27/11. Photo: AP

According to US media, "Zero units" were known in Afghanistan for their high level of secrecy and were alleged to have carried out extrajudicial killings of civilians, particularly during night raids. Despite these controversies, the US and its international partners considered them among the most reliable local forces in Afghanistan. As a member of a "Zero unit," Lakanwal was almost certainly guaranteed asylum in the US, given that this elite force was a primary target for Taliban retaliation.

Many members of "Zero units" played a critical role in the US evacuation from Kabul in 8/2021, securing passage for themselves and their families on flights departing Afghanistan.