US President Donald Trump confirmed on Thursday A 20-year-old National Guard soldier succumbed to his wounds In the shooting attack on a former Afghan soldier in Washington on Wednesday, an incident that prompted the government to announce this It will impose strict immigration controls and review the permanent residency of citizens of 19 countries.
The FBI began a Terrorism investigation After a gunman carried out what authorities described as some type of attack “ambush” Against two National Guard soldiers Which left them in a critical condition.
The shooting near the White House shocked the United States on a usually quiet, family-friendly day during the Thanksgiving holiday.. “I want to express the pain and horror that our entire nation feels due to the terrorist attack that occurred yesterday (Wednesday) in the capital.” Trump said in a video call Thanksgiving Day With American forces.
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pleasant Beckstrom20, member of the West Virginia National Guard, “just left us” and Another soldier, Andrew Wolfe, is ‘fighting for his life’He added the Republican, who described the attacker as a “wild beast.” “Maybe this guy was upset because he couldn’t commit crimes,” Trump said, linking the incident to his decision to deploy hundreds of National Guard troops to fight crime.
Authorities identified the attacker as Rahmanullah Lakhanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan Who worked with American forces in his country during the war against the Taliban and settled in the United States in 2021, when the northern country withdrew its forces from Afghanistan.
Trump posted a video on Thursday in which he described the attack as a… “An evil act” and accusations against immigrantsWhich he described as an existential threat to the national security of the United States. That’s why the president ordered Suspending the processing of immigration applications for Afghans.
“We must take all necessary measures for this Package guarantee From any foreigner from any country who does not belong here or does not contribute to the interest of our country. If you can’t love our country, we don’t want you.Trump said.
Later, Joseph Edlow, Director of US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), said, It announced it would review the immigration status of every permanent resident or green card holder from 19 countries. Afghanistan as well Cuba, Haiti and Venezuela is on the list.
Terrorism investigation
The US Attorney General, Jeanine Pirro, stated that Lakanwal lives in Bellingham, Washington State (northwest), and that He arrived at the scene of the shooting in Washington, D.C. (east), by car. The man faces charges of assault with intent to murder.
“He chose the wrong target, the wrong city, the wrong country,” the prosecutor added. Pirro explained that the attacker opened fire with Smith & Wesson .357 revolver Against a group of National Guard patrolling a few blocks from the White House. The authorities have not yet had any indication of the motives for the attack.
CIA Director John Ratcliffe said the suspect was part of a Commando forces backed by Washington fought the Taliban In Afghanistan. He added that the suspect arrived in the United States thanks to an Afghan evacuation program in cooperation with the CIA.
One Venezuelan representative said: “The only option to restore democracy in Venezuela is US intervention.”
FBI Director Kash Patel said Thursday that authorities are investigating any potential accomplices of the suspect, whether in his home country or in the United States.
The soldiers were deployed to Washington as part of A controversial military device By order of Trump in Cities run by Democrats To combat what it considers violent and rampant crimes.
Following the attack, Defense Minister Pete Hegseth announced Send 500 soldiers More to Washington. And so American capital will be More than 2,500 soldiers are on its streetsAlthough last week a federal judge ordered a temporary suspension of the troop deployment.
From Afghanistan to the United States
The heads of the FBI, CIA and Department of Homeland Security, as well as senior Trump appointees, insisted on it. Lakanwal arrived in the United States unsupervised because of Permissive asylum policies This is after the military withdrawal from Afghanistan ordered by former President Joe Biden.
Afghan Evac, an NGO that helped settle Afghans in the United States, stated that they go through “some… The “most comprehensive security checks” in the world.
Lakanwal sought asylum in the United States during Biden’s term, however His request was approved with Trump At the White House, according to the group. “This isolated act of violence by this individual should not be used as an excuse to define or belittle an entire community,” said the group’s president, Sean Vandiver.
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