What were Zero Units that Afghan behind US National Guard shooting was part of?

Rahmanullah Lakanwal — the Afghan man involved in the DC shooting that led to the death of a National Guard soldier — was among those evacuated to the United States after the Taliban takeover. In Afghanistan, he served in a “Zero Unit”, a covert paramilitary force that operated alongside US troops.

These Zero Units were formally part of Afghanistan’s intelligence service but operated outside the normal military chain of command. Recruited, trained, equipped and largely overseen by the CIA, they became central to counterterrorism operations throughout the war.

An image of an ID badge circulating online on Thursday, which purportedly shows the suspect, identifies him as a member of the “Kandahar Strike Force” or “03” unit — one of several Zero Units that worked closely with US and other foreign forces. The badge also includes the words “Firebase Gecko”, the name of a CIA and special forces base in Kandahar located inside the former compound of Taliban founder Mullah Mohammad Omar.

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CBS News has not independently verified the authenticity of the badge. However, CIA Director John Ratcliffe confirmed that the suspect had previously worked “with the US Government, including CIA, as a member of a partner force in Kandahar”.

The Zero Units were composed entirely of Afghan nationals and operated under the National Directorate of Security (NDS), the CIA-backed intelligence agency of the former US-supported Afghan government. A former senior Afghan general told CBS News that the “03 unit, also known as the Kandahar Strike Force, was under the NDS special forces directorate” and described them as “the most active and professional forces, trained and equipped by the CIA”, with all operations conducted under CIA command.

Known for their secrecy and alleged brutality, the Zero Units were implicated in extrajudicial killings during night raids. Despite this, they were regarded by the US and its international partners as among the most reliable Afghan forces.

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There was no immediate response from the Taliban government in Kabul, and officials did not answer CBS News’ requests for comment on the arrest in Washington.

As a member of a Zero Unit, the suspect would have been virtually guaranteed a route to asylum in the United States, as these elite operatives were at high risk of Taliban retaliation after the group retook power. Many played key roles in the August 2021 Kabul evacuation in return for a guaranteed place on a flight for themselves and their families.