Families, Friends Recall Afghan Man Who Was Shot and Killed in Washington After Spending Years Helping US Forces in Afghanistan

Friends and family watch as the body of Nasrat Ahmad Yar, 31, is placed into a grave during a funeral service at the All Muslim Association of America cemetery, in Fredericksburg, Va., on July 8, 2023. AP Photo/Nathan Howard

WASHINGTON—At 31 years old, Nasrat Ahmad Yar had spent most of his adult life working with the U.S. military in Afghanistan before escaping to America in search of a better life for his wife and four children.

He found work as a ride-share driver and even managed to send money back to Afghanistan to help family and friends. He liked to play volleyball with friends in the Washington suburb where many Afghans who fled their country now live. At 6-feet-5 inches, he had a powerful serve.