Operation Inherent Resolve Quarterly Report to Congress, October 1, 2020-December 31, 2020
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OPERATION INHERENT RESOLVE LEAD INSPECTOR GENERAL REPORT TO THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS OCTOBER 1, 2020–DECEMBER 31, 2020 ABOUT THIS REPORT A 2013 amendment to the Inspector General Act established the Lead Inspector General (Lead IG) framework for oversight of overseas contingency operations and requires that the Lead IG submit quarterly reports to Congress on each active operation. The Chair of the Council of Inspectors General for Integrity and Efficiency designated the DoD Inspector General (IG) as the Lead IG for Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR). The DoS IG is the Associate IG for the operation, and the USAID IG participates in oversight of the operation. The Offices of Inspector General (OIG) of the DoD, the DoS, and USAID are referred to in this report as the Lead IG agencies. Other partner agencies also contribute to oversight of OIR. The Lead IG agencies collectively carry out the Lead IG statutory responsibilities to: • Develop a joint strategic plan to conduct comprehensive oversight of the operation. • Ensure independent and effective oversight of programs and operations of the U.S. Government in support of the operation through either joint or individual audits, inspections, investigations, or evaluations. • Report quarterly to Congress and the public on the operation and on activities of the Lead IG agencies. METHODOLOGY To produce this quarterly report, the Lead IG agencies submit requests for information to the DoD, the DoS, USAID, and other Federal agencies about OIR and related programs. The Lead IG agencies also gather data and information from other sources, including official documents, congressional testimony, policy research organizations, press conferences, think tanks, and media reports. The sources of information contained in this report are listed in endnotes or notes to tables and figures. Except in the case of audits, inspections, investigations, or evaluations referenced in this report, the Lead IG agencies have not audited the data and information cited in this report. The DoD, the DoS, and USAID vet the reports for accuracy prior to publication. For further details on the methodology for this report, see Appendix B. CLASSIFIED APPENDIX This report normally includes an appendix containing classified information about the U.S. mission to defeat ISIS in Iraq and Syria. However, due to constraints resulting from the coronavirus disease-2019 pandemic, the Lead IG agencies did not prepare a classified appendix this quarter. FOREWORD We are pleased to submit this Lead Inspector General (Lead IG) quarterly report to the U.S. Congress on Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR). This report discharges our individual and collective agency oversight responsibilities pursuant to the Inspector General Act of 1978. The mission of OIR, which the United States launched in 2014, is to defeat the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in designated areas of Iraq and Syria, and to set the conditions for follow-on operations to increase regional stability. The U.S. Government strategy to defeat ISIS includes military operations, as well as support for local security forces, diplomacy, governance, humanitarian assistance, and stabilization programs. This quarterly report describes the activities of the U.S. Government in support of OIR, as well as the work of the Department of Defense, the Department of State, and the U.S. Agency for International Development to promote the U.S. Government’s policy goals in Iraq and Syria, during the period October 1, 2020, through December 31, 2020. This report also discusses the planned, ongoing, and completed oversight work conducted by the Lead IG agencies and our partner oversight agencies during the quarter. During the quarter, the Lead IG agencies and our oversight partners issued nine audit, evaluation, and inspection reports related to OIR. Working in close collaboration, we remain committed to providing comprehensive oversight and timely reporting on Operation Inherent Resolve. Sean W. O’Donnell Diana Shaw Thomas J. Ullom Acting Inspector General Acting Inspector General Acting Inspector General U.S. Department of Defense U.S. Department of State U.S. Agency for International Development On the Cover (Top row): Women residing at al-Hol camp in Syria (VOA photo); A U.S. UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter lands at an airfield in Iraq after conducting flight training (U.S. Army photo); An E-2C Hawkeye rests on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz, which is conducting missions in support of OIR (U.S. Navy photo); Several hundred military and medical vehicles at the Port of Shuaiba, Kuwait, stand ready for transport to Iraqi Security Forces (U.S. Army photo). (Bottom row): U.S. Army Soldiers scan for threats near an oil refinery in northeast Syria (U.S. Army photo). MESSAGE FROM THE LEAD INSPECTOR GENERAL I am pleased to present this Lead Inspector General (Lead IG) quarterly report on the status of Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR). This quarter, the Coalition and its partners, including the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), continued to contain ISIS, which operated as a low-level insurgency in Iraq and Syria. ISIS was largely unable to seize territory, execute complex attacks, or direct external attacks. Although the number of ISIS attacks continued to decrease this quarter, the group endeavored to exploit ethnic, religious, and political tensions, and took advantage of security gaps in both countries. Militia groups operating in Iraq and Syria were among some of the greatest security threats to the OIR mission this quarter. After Iranian-aligned militias ended an announced ceasefire, violence against U.S. interests in Iraq increased. Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi took steps to protect Coalition forces and continued to assert authority over the militias incrementally, while taking care to avoid a direct confrontation with them. Iranian and Syrian regime proxies also threatened U.S. interests in northeastern Syria. These groups conducted attacks against the SDF and exploited local grievances to garner support in territory Sean W. O’Donnell previously held by ISIS. Over the last year, the situation in Iraq and Syria has settled into a status quo where local partner forces, with Coalition support, are preventing ISIS from resurging, but are unable to degrade ISIS further to the point that it no longer poses a threat. This status quo is due to a number of factors that Coalition and partner forces cannot address by military means alone. Economic insecurity further crippled Iraqi and Syrian authorities, hindered the provision of essential services, and impoverished large portions of the population this quarter. The coronavirus disease–2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, which authorities were largely unable to contain, continued to overwhelm the public health systems in both countries. In Iraq, government corruption remained pervasive, fueling continued civil unrest. In Syria, conditions in camps for refugees and internally displaced persons remained difficult, taxing local security forces. The combination of these factors perpetuates instability, which may undermine military gains against ISIS. Economic, political, and societal improvements will likely take years to unfold, even with continued assistance from the Coalition and other members of the international community. This quarter, the United States continued to support COVID-19 response efforts in Iraq and Syria, U.S. officials announced a stabilization package to support religious and ethnic minorities in Iraq, and the United Nations announced the extension of a program aimed at restoring essential services in Iraq. However, open conflict, funding constraints, sanctions, and the COVID-19 pandemic hindered many stabilization and humanitarian aid efforts this quarter. We will continue to assess the status of OIR as the military campaign progresses. Meanwhile, it will be increasingly important for us to monitor the impact that malign actors in Iraq and Syria are having on the OIR mission, the underlying factors that influence stability in these two countries, and steps nonmilitary actors are taking to address these underlying factors. I look forward to working with my Lead IG colleagues to continue to provide oversight of and report on OIR and related U.S. Government activity, as required by the IG Act. Sean W. O’Donnell Acting Inspector General U.S. Department of Defense A U.S. UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter lands at an airfield in Iraq after conducting flight training. (U.S. Army photo) CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ......................................2 THE QUARTER IN REVIEW ...............................9 Major Developments..............................................10 Status of ISIS .........................................................12 Events in Iraq ..........................................................22 Actions Conducted Against ISIS in Iraq ............22 Partner Force Development in Iraq ..................27 Role of Third Parties in Iraq ...............................33 Diplomacy and Political Developments ...........35 Stabilization .......................................................43 Humanitarian Assistance ..................................46 Events in Syria ........................................................53 Actions Conducted Against ISIS in Syria ...........53 Partner Force Development in Syria .................59 Role of Third Parties in Syria .............................60 Diplomacy and Political Developments ...........62 Stabilization .......................................................70