Washington DC [US], December 8 (ANI): The head of the Afghanistan‑US Relations Office in the United States has called for a serious, comprehensive investigation after a Thanksgiving Eve shooting near the White House that resulted in the death of a US National Guard member, Tolo News reported.
The incident has prompted concern and questions within the Afghan community in the US and beyond. Saber Naseri, head of the Afghanistan‑US Relations Office, said, “We have not seen any video proving that the individual, identified as Afghan, attacked an American. I visited the area where the incident took place, asked questions, and I want to obtain the video to verify whether Lakanwal committed this act or not.”
Migrant rights activists warned against blaming thousands of Afghan migrants for the actions of one person. Political analyst Wahed Faqiri was quoted saying, “One of the key principles of American law is that crimes are individual, not collective. That’s why Afghans are calling on the U.S. government to uphold its own principles and avoid generalizing the actions of one individual to the entire Afghan community.”
The case comes as US Citizenship and Immigration Services issued new guidance in the wake of the shooting, authorising USCIS officials to consider country‑specific factors from 19 countries when reviewing immigration requests. USCIS said it will weigh relevant country‑specific factors when using its broad discretionary authorities regarding aliens from 19 high‑risk countries, noting changes after halting refugee resettlement from Afghanistan and restricting entry of Afghan nationals in the first year of the Trump administration.
The shooting, which occurred at close range in central Washington, prompted a swift response from the administration. Addressing reporters, President Trump criticised former president Joe Biden’s immigration policies, saying the suspect entered the United States from Afghanistan in 2021 and referring to the country as a “hellhole.” Authorities identified the accused as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29‑year‑old Afghan national who arrived in 2021; officials said he is believed to have acted alone, and Homeland Security information was cited noting the suspect’s Afghan nationality.
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