'Global terror on the rise', Pakistan warns after White House attack

Pakistan condemned on Friday a shooting in Washington DC that killed a U.S. soldier and wounded another, expressing solidarity with the United States after authorities said the suspect was an Afghan national.

The attack occurred on Wednesday when two members of the National Guard were shot and seriously wounded just blocks from the White House. One of them died on Thursday while the other remains in critical condition. The suspect, identified by the Department of Homeland Security as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, is in custody and described as “a criminal alien from Afghanistan.”

Trump said he would deploy an additional 500 troops to the streets of the U.S. capital in response to the attack.

Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement that it conveyed “heartfelt condolences and solidarity” to Washington. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the departed soldier, and we wish the injured a swift and complete recovery,” it said, extending sympathies to the victims’ families and to the U.S. government.

Islamabad linked the shooting to what it called a wider resurgence of global terrorism. The Foreign Office said Pakistan had faced similar attacks for more than two decades, often involving militants operating from Afghan territory, and noted that the Washington incident underscored the growing threat of cross-border and transnational extremism.

“The incident signifies the challenges posed by transnational terrorism and underscores the need for enhanced global cooperation,” the spokesperson said.

Pakistan, which in recent years has pressed Afghan authorities to curb militants and has launched a drive to expel undocumented migrants - most of them Afghans - reaffirmed its commitment to working with the United States and the wider international community to strengthen counter-terrorism efforts.