The US State Department has announced suspension of visa issuance for anyone traveling on an Afghan passport.
"The Department of State has IMMEDIATELY paused visa issuance for individuals traveling on Afghan passports," the Department wrote. "The Department is taking all necessary steps to protect US national security and public safety."
The move follows a Washington, D.C., shooting perpetrated by an Afghanistan citizen, in which two National Guardsmen were killed.
The suspect was later named as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national who entered the US in 2021. He is believed to have acted alone.
A relative of Laknawal told NBC that the suspect previously served alongside American special forces in Afghanistan. According to him, Laknawal served in the Afghan army for a decade and came to the US after the Taliban took over the region.
The relative, who served with him and supported US forces and was even wounded during his service, expressed deep doubt about the suspicions. "I don't believe he could have done this," he said, noting that Laknawal has a wife and five sons. "I don't know what happened," he added.