What were CIA-backed Zero Units, that Rahmanullah Lakanwal worked for?
The 29-year-old was reportedly recruited by the CIA as a child at the age of 15. He was assigned to the 'Kandahar Strike Force' or '03 unit'.
Rahmanullah Lakanwal, the Afghan national who was arrested for shooting at two US National Guard troops in Washington DC, reportedly worked for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) during the US invasion of Afghanistan, according to CBS News.
The 29-year-old was reportedly recruited by the CIA in 2011 as a child at the age of 15, according to Fox News. He was assigned to the ‘Kandahar Strike Force’ or ‘03 unit’, or the so-called ‘Zero Units’, that worked closely with the US, British forces fighting Taliban.
A picture of the ID badge circulating online displayed the details of his rank, ID, blood group along with the words ‘Firebase Gecko’, the name of the base used by the CIA and special forces in Kandahar, southern Afghanistan.
CIA Director John Ratcliffe confirmed that the suspect had previously worked with the US government, including the CIA in Kandahar.
How did Zero Units and its members function?
Zero Units were paramilitary forces, composed exclusively of Afghan nationals, who collaborated with US forces, obtained training and were funded by the CIA, during the war.
The zero units operated under the umbrella of ‘National Directorate of Security’ or the NDS, an intelligence agency established for the previous Afghan government, with the support of CIA.
The paramilitary forces were known especially for their secrecy and brutality, and members of the zero units have been accused of carrying out extra judicial assassinations of civilians, especially while they were on night raids.
Zero Unit members were also involved in securing the Kabul Airport during US withdrawal in 2021, preventing civilians from accessing the airport.
The members of the paramilitary force also became high value targets for Taliban dur to their proximity to the US forces and many had been flown out of the country for their safety.
Lakanwal became one of the 76,000 people brought to the US under Operation Allies Welcome, a program that evacuated, resettled thousands of Afghans. He entered the US in 2021 and was living in Washington state with his wife and five children.