A former elite Afghan soldier, once backed by the CIA and resettled in America, now stands accused of murder in a shocking Thanksgiving eve attack in Washington D.C. The incident has cast a harsh light on his years-long, silent battle with severe mental health issues.

The tragedy of Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, raises urgent questions about the long-term psychological support for refugees evacuated from conflict zones. This is a challenge Kenya understands intimately, managing one of the world's largest refugee populations and the complex trauma they carry.

Lakanwal is charged with the first-degree murder of National Guard soldier Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and the critical injury of Andrew Wolfe, 24. According to emails obtained by the Associated Press, Lakanwal's mental health had been deteriorating for years after his arrival in the U.S. in 2021 under 'Operation Allies Welcome', a program to evacuate Afghan allies.

A community advocate noted he spent "weeks on end" in isolation, unable to hold a job, and was feared to be suicidal. Despite these warnings, there was reportedly no indication he would become violent towards others.

A Warrior's Hidden Wounds

In Afghanistan, Lakanwal was part of a 'Zero Unit', a prestigious and feared CIA-trained paramilitary force known for conducting brutal night raids against insurgents. These units, sometimes labelled "death squads" by human rights groups, operated in a world of constant, violent combat. He and his family were evacuated after the chaotic U.S. withdrawal and resettled in Washington state.

The transition from a high-stakes military life to civilian reality proved crushing. A case worker helping his family described him as a man who was "extremely proud and capable in the world he came from, who felt defeated in the world he came to." This struggle is a common, though often invisible, burden for many refugees attempting to build new lives.

The Echo in Kenya's Camps

While Washington D.C. is thousands of kilometres away, the underlying issues resonate deeply within Kenya. Our nation hosts hundreds of thousands of refugees in camps like Dadaab and Kakuma, many of whom have fled unimaginable violence and carry deep psychological scars. The challenge of providing adequate, long-term mental healthcare is a constant struggle.

The Lakanwal case underscores a global blind spot: vetting refugees for security risks, as was done for him, is only one part of the equation. Ensuring they have the support to process trauma and truly assimilate is a far greater, and more critical, challenge. Many Afghan arrivals in the U.S. are recognized as having urgent mental health needs, a reality mirrored in refugee populations worldwide.

As U.S. authorities investigate Lakanwal's motives, the tragedy serves as a grim reminder. The hidden casualties of war do not always remain on the battlefield; sometimes, they follow us home, demanding a response that goes beyond simple sanctuary.