Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan man suspected of shooting two National Guard members in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, was in the U.S. after entering the country in 2021 under a program called Operation Allies Welcome. His motives are still unknown.

Here's a look at why the program was set up and how Afghans who entered the U.S. were vetted.

The origins of Operation Allies Welcome

When Kabul fell to the Taliban in August 2021 there were chaotic scenes as thousands of Afghans rushed to the airport desperate to escape. The world watched in horror as some among them were crushed to death in the crowds trying to flee.

The U.S. exit from Afghanistan happened during former President Joe Biden's term, but it was set in motion by the first Trump administration, which signed a deal with t

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