DC attack: Taliban distances itself as Trump points to Biden's Afghan airlift

US President Donald Trump condemned the shooting of two National Guard soldiers near the White House, describing the incident as a "horrific assault" and "an act of terror". Two National Guards were shot at point-blank range in the national capital on the eve of the Thanksgiving holiday.

Briefing the media, the US president blamed his predecessor Joe Biden, saying the suspect came from Afghanistan on a 2021 airlift and called the country a "hellhole".

The suspect has been identified as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national who entered the US in September 2021 and, as per law enforcement, is believed to have acted alone. Lakanwal had spent a decade in the Afghan army assisting US Special Forces and Intelligence agencies.


Trump said swift and certain action would be taken and shared that the suspect was an Afghan, as per information by the Homeland security.

In Kabul, the Taliban distanced itself from the attack. Spokesperson Suhail Shaheen has said that the Taliban has a long-standing position that "our policy is clear, we do not allow anyone to use Afghan soil" to carry out attacks abroad. Taliban blamed ISI for linking the attack to Taliban. Trump had earlier demanded that the Taliban hand over Bagram airbase but Kabul is not interested in military presence of a foreign country. Instead, it had harped on diplomatic relations with foreign powers.

Trump alleged that the Afghan person was flown in by the Biden administration in 2021, "on those infamous flights.... his status was extended under legislation signed by President Biden". "...This attack underscores the single greatest national security threat facing our nation. The last administration let in 20 million unknown foreigners from all over the world".

He said the US will now re-examine every single alien who has entered the US from Afghanistan under the Biden administration and ensure the removal of those who don't love America.

Following the incident, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced late Wednesday (local time) that it has indefinitely suspended processing applications for Afghan nationals.