CaliToday (29/11/2025): The Taliban's designated ambassador to Qatar, Suhail Shaheen, has called for a "detailed and extensive investigation" into the Afghan national who recently ambushed National Guard troops in Washington, D.C., suggesting the shooter was tied to the former U.S.-backed regime's security forces and intelligence operations.
The incident, which saw an unidentified Afghan man open fire on military personnel in the U.S. capital, has become a major point of political rhetoric for the current Taliban government, which is seeking to delegitimize individuals associated with the prior Western-supported administration.
Shaheen, a key international spokesperson for the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, used the incident to paint the attacker as a traitor and a foreign operative.
In a sharply worded statement, Shaheen asserted that the shooter was not loyal to Afghanistan but rather served foreign interests:
“According to reports, this person was previously part of the security forces, and then operated under the CIA… such individuals are not loyal to the country (Afghanistan)… …There should be an extensive and detailed investigation into this incident to clarify his true face and those of similar mindset.” — Suhail Shaheen
The Current Context: Exploiting Instability
Shaheen's demand for a comprehensive probe serves several strategic purposes for the Taliban:
Delegitimizing the Former Regime: By linking the D.C. attacker—who was allegedly a member of the U.S.-trained security forces—to intelligence agencies like the CIA, the Taliban attempts to reinforce its narrative that the previous Afghan government was a Western puppet state.
Internal Control: The call for an investigation aims to identify and condemn anyone within Afghanistan who might still harbor similar "mindsets"—referring to those who collaborated with international forces or oppose the current Taliban rule.
Global Stance: The statement places the Taliban in a position to comment on international security matters, even those occurring within the United States, thereby asserting their status as the legitimate government of Afghanistan.
While the U.S. investigation into the D.C. shooter's motives and affiliations is ongoing, the Taliban's immediate and politicized response highlights the deep chasm and ongoing tension between the new Afghan government and the legacy of two decades of Western presence.