Afghans living in the US have condemned Wednesday's deeply tragic deadly shooting attack in Washington DC, while stressing that the suspect - who moved to the US from Afghanistan four years ago - does not represent them.

The alleged gunman, 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal, entered America under a programme that offered special immigration protections to Afghans who worked with the US in the wake of its troop withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.

National Guard member Sarah Beckstrom, 20, was killed in Wednesday's shooting, and a colleague, Andrew Wolfe, 24, is said to be fighting for his life.

In response, US President Donald Trump has halted the processing of all immigration requests from Afghans, ordered a review of green cards issued to individuals from 19 countries, and threatened a wider crackdown on migrants from what he calls third-world countries.

On Friday, his administration also said it had halted all decisions on asylum claims.

The Afghan Community Coalition of United States expressed its sympathy for families of the victims, calling for a comprehensive investigation but urging the US government not to delay or suspend Afghan immigration claims.

Twenty years of Afghan-US partnership must not be forgotten, the coalition's statement said.

Afghans living in America told the BBC they had been horrified by the Washington DC attack, which they emphasised was the act of just one person.

Some spoke anonymously out of fear of reprisals by the Taliban, which took back control of Afghanistan following the US troop withdrawal.

One Afghan described Wednesday's incident as deeply tragic and noted the timing ahead of Thanksgiving, and amid a highly charged political environment in Washington DC.

He highlighted that the shooting was an individual criminal offence, not representative of a community.

Crystal Bayat, an Afghan human rights activist, stressed that the changes in policy could affect many innocent families who are still in danger in Afghanistan.

In summary, the Afghan community in the US is rallying for continued support and protection while expressing their sorrow for the victims of the recent tragedy.