Washington: Two National Guardsmen were shot in downtown Washington and remain in critical condition, according to local media reports. CBS News reported that the alleged shooter, who has been arrested, was identified as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan national who entered the country in 2021. The shooting happened less than 2 km away from the White House on Wednesday (local time).

US President Donald Trump was not in the capital and is visiting Florida for the Thanksgiving holiday. After the incident, Trump posted on X, "The animal that shot the two National Guardsmen, with both being critically wounded, and now in two separate hospitals, is also severely wounded, but regardless, will pay a very steep price. God bless our Great National Guard, and all of our Military and Law Enforcement. These are truly Great People. I, as President of the United States, and everyone associated with the Office of the Presidency, am with you!" Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser termed the attack a "targeted shooting". Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced that the administration has ordered the deployment of an additional 500 troops to Washington.

Case to be prosecuted at federal level: FBI Director 

While addressing the media, FBI Director Kash Patel said that the case will be prosecuted at the federal level since "this is an assault on federal law enforcement officers." Multiple states have sent Guard personnel to Washington in recent months as part of President Trump's public-safety crackdown. The mission has since expanded to several other major US cities. There are approximately 2,400 National Guard troops currently deployed in Washington, which includes around 958 from the DC National Guard and about 1,300 from eight other states.

The deployment was extended through the summer of 2026. The presence of National Guard forces in Washington has been politically contentious. Supporters say the deployment has helped stabilise crime-plagued neighbourhoods, while critics argue that the prolonged presence of out-of-state troops blurs the line between civilian law enforcement and military operations. 

(IANS)