Overseas Contingency Operations

This Lead Inspector General (Lead IG) report to United States Congress on Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR) is our fifth quarterly report detailing the overseas contingency operation.  The report provides information on key events involving OIR as well as an update on the nine Strategic Lines of Effort to Counter ISIL covering the period from January 1, 2016, to March 31, 2016. The report also features oversight work conducted by the Lead IG agencies and partner oversight agencies from October 1, 2015, to March 31, 2016, and ongoing and future oversight work, as of March 31, 2016.  Going forward, the Lead IG report will provide oversight information every quarter instead of on a biannual basis.

OIR is dedicated to countering the terrorist threat posed by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in Iraq, Syria, the region, and the broader international community. The U.S. strategy to counter ISIL includes support to military operations associated with OIR as well as diplomacy, governance, security programs and activities, and, separately, humanitarian assistance.

As our report describes in more detail, since January 1, 2016, U.S.-backed forces have stabilized the recently-liberated Iraqi city of Ramadi, engaged ISIL in a battle for the important town of Hit in Anbar province, and continued preparations to free the key city of Mosul. As of early April, about 20,000 Iraqi soldiers had completed at least one multi-week cycle of Coalition training.

Section 8L of the Inspector General Act of 1978, as amended, provides a mandate for the three Lead IG agencies—the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General (DoD OIG), Department of State Office of Inspector General (DoS OIG), and U.S. Agency for International Development Office of Inspector General (USAID OIG)—to work together to develop and carry out joint, comprehensive, and strategic oversight. Each IG retains statutory independence, but together, they apply their extensive regional experience and in-depth institutional knowledge to conduct oversight of the whole-of-government mission to destroy ISIL and address the severe humanitarian crises in Iraq and Syria.

During the period October 1, 2015, to March 31, 2016, the Lead IG agencies released 11 reports. There were also 36 ongoing oversight projects. In addition, the criminal investigative components of the DoD, DoS, and USAID OIGs had 35 ongoing investigations.

To view or download the print version of the Lead IG Report to the United States Congress on OIR, March 31, 2016, click here

This Lead Inspector General quarterly report to the Congress is our third on Operation Freedom’s Sentinel (OFS) and covers the period October 1 – December 31, 2015.  Under OFS, U.S. forces are conducting two complementary missions in Afghanistan:  (1) the counterterrorism mission against al Qaeda, its associates, and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant-Khorasan (ISIL-K), which was designated a Foreign Terrorist Organization on January 14, 2016; and (2) the train, advise, and assist mission, in cooperation with NATO Allies and partner nations, to continue building the capabilities of the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF).

The security situation in Afghanistan deteriorated this quarter as insurgent Taliban and terrorist forces demonstrated improved ability to exploit vulnerabilities in the ANDSF and mounted a series of attacks throughout Afghanistan.  The heaviest fighting was in the traditional Taliban stronghold of Helmand province and in Kunduz province where the Taliban temporarily occupied the provincial capital.  Despite initial insurgent gains, the ANDSF ultimately regained lost ground and were able to stall or reverse insurgent advances.

The ANDSF’s continued ability to fight in the current environment, however, is jeopardized by sustainment issues that past Lead IG oversight work has identified.  Material readiness of ANDSF vehicles and weapons is reported to be in dire condition, while a rebuild of the 215th Afghan Army Corps, which struggled to defend the highly contested Helmand province, is underway. 

The sustained level of conflict and still-developing nature of the ANDSF were among factors that led to an adjustment in the drawdown timeline for OFS.  On October 15, 2015, President Barack Obama announced that U.S. forces would not draw down further in 2016, but would remain at 9,800 through the year.  Shortly thereafter, NATO agreed to maintain its troop level at 2015 levels during 2016.  Although coalition advisors continue to assist their Afghan counterparts in overcoming sustainment and leadership challenges, the risk is that the pace of progress may not be sufficient to achieve a self-sustaining ANDSF by the time further U.S. troop reductions are implemented.

Lead IG agencies as their oversight partners are currently working 22 oversight projects in Afghanistan.  The results of oversight efforts completed in the first half of FY 2016 will be provided in the biannual report.

To view or download the print version of this report, click here

This Lead Inspector General (Lead IG) quarterly report to the Congress is our fourth on Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR) and covers the 3-month period, October 1-2015 – December 31, 2015. OIR is dedicated to countering the terrorist threat posed by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in Iraq, Syria, the region, and the broader international community. The U.S. counter ISIL strategy includes support to military operations associated with OIR as well as diplomacy, governance, security programs and activities, and, separately, humanitarian assistance.

OIR saw significant changes, successes, and challenges this quarter. In October 2015, for example, the United States and its global coalition partners intensified strikes on ISIL targets, focused on retaking cities in Iraq and Syria, destroyed oil infrastructure and supply routes, and killed several of ISIL’s high-value fighters. However, many challenges remain, including clearing explosives and remaining ISIL fighters from liberated areas and providing critical stabilization support in cities like Tikrit and Ramadi, a city estimated to be 80% in ruin. The humanitarian and refugee crisis remains dire. Water, food, and other basic needs are still limited for millions of people displaced internally and millions who have fled to refugee locations outside of Syria or Iraq.

This quarterly report covers the events and activities that occurred related to OIR and the lines of U.S. effort as well as the associated humanitarian crisis. Major General Michael Nagata, the former Director of Combined Joint Interagency Task Force-Syria and Commander, U.S. Special Operations Command Central, was interviewed on the challenges and long-term objective of training moderate Syrian opposition fighters within the broader U.S. strategy for countering ISIL in Syria. A summary of that interview is included in the Building Partner Capacity section of the report.

During this reporting period, the Lead IG agencies continued to engage in strategic oversight planning and conduct oversight projects within their respective agencies. As appropriate, these oversight projects are mentioned throughout the report in the lines of effort discussions.

Section 8L provides a mandate for the three Lead IG agencies—the Department of Defense Inspector General (DoD IG), Department of State Office of Inspector General (DoS OIG), and U.S. Agency for International Development Office of Inspector General (USAID OIG)—to work together to develop and carry out joint, comprehensive, and strategic oversight. Each IG retains statutory independence, but together, they will apply their extensive regional experience and in-depth institutional knowledge to conduct integrated, strategic oversight of the whole-of-government mission to destroy ISIL and address the severe humanitarian crisis in Iraq and Syria.

To view or download the print version of this Quarterly Report to the United States Congress, October 1-December 31, 2015, click here