CaliToday (29/11/2025): Federal authorities are intensely investigating whether Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) may have been a contributing factor in the heinous ambush near the White House, where 29-year-old Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal killed service member Sarah Beckstrom and critically wounded Private Andrew Wolfe.
While the FBI and intelligence agencies have not ruled out potential radicalization or foreign influence, the suspect’s severe mental health history has become a critical focus point of the investigation.
The Secret War and the Scars of the Zero Units
Lakanwal was brought to the United States in 2021 under the Biden administration’s “Operation Allies Welcome” program. His background reveals a traumatic military history:
Zero Units Service: Lakanwal served for eight years in the “Zero Units,” a network of covert, CIA-backed paramilitary forces operating out of Kandahar. These units were infamous for conducting secret night raids against the Taliban and al-Qaeda and were sometimes controversially referred to as "death squads" due to allegations of excessive force and abuses.
Initial Profile: Before coming to the U.S., former colleagues described Lakanwal as a "responsible, professional, and fiercely anti-Taliban" operative.
Mental Deterioration: His stability reportedly began to erode upon arrival in the US. A former commander indicated that Lakanwal suffered from war-related PTSD which worsened significantly after leaving Afghanistan. A childhood friend noted that Lakanwal "couldn't bear the sight of blood and dead bodies," and that the combat stress "weighed heavily on his mind for a long time."
A US official told CBS News that Lakanwal was reportedly haunted by the casualties sustained by his unit and was particularly devastated by the death of a close friend.
Vetting Failure Amidst Political Fallout
The investigation into Lakanwal’s motives is inseparable from the massive controversy surrounding his entry and subsequent status in the U.S.:
The Visa Approval: Outrage has focused on the fact that the Biden administration granted Lakanwal a special visa in April 2024, a decision now being aggressively scrutinized by the Trump administration and Vice President JD Vance for lacking adequate security vetting.
Vetting Double Standard: Ironically, members of the Zero Units were subject to extremely rigorous vetting while serving alongside US forces in combat zones. However, intelligence reports suggest they were often not subjected to the same strict security screening when applying for entry into the United States under the special programs.
Beyond Mental Health: The Lingering Questions
Despite the strong evidence of a psychological crisis, federal investigators are cautious about attributing the attack solely to mental collapse. The deliberate nature of the crime raises serious questions:
The Journey: Lakanwal drove a considerable distance from Washington State to D.C. specifically to carry out the attack, suggesting planning that goes beyond a spontaneous breakdown.
Motive Gap: Historically, the Zero Units were rarely involved in "green-on-blue" attacks (Afghan forces attacking US troops). This makes Lakanwal’s unprovoked ambush particularly puzzling and compels authorities to consider all possibilities, from acute mental health crisis to foreign extremist influence.
Ultimately, this tragedy has highlighted a lethal intersection of wartime psychological trauma and critical failures in the immigration screening process, intensifying the political debate over border security and vetting protocols for wartime allies.