Operation Inherent Resolve Lead Inspector General Report to the United States Congress
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OIR REPORT TO CONGRESS FRONT MATTER OPERATION INHERENT RESOLVE LEAD INSPECTOR GENERAL REPORT TO THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS APRIL 1, 2021–JUNE 30, 2021 FRONT MATTER 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. 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, and 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 A classified appendix to this report provides additional information on Operation Inherent Resolve. This quarter’s classified appendix will be delivered to relevant agencies and congressional committees. Due to the coronavirus disease–2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the DoS and USAID OIGs did not provide information for or participate in the preparation of the classified appendix this quarter. FOREWORD We are pleased to submit this Lead Inspector General (Lead IG) quarterly report on OIR to the U.S. Congress. This report discharges our individual and collective agency oversight responsibilities pursuant to the Inspector General Act of 1978. The United States launched OIR in 2014 to defeat the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), while setting the conditions for follow-on activities 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 of April 1, 2021, through June 30, 2021. 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 10 audit, evaluation, and inspection reports related to OIR. Working in close collaboration, we remain committed to providing comprehensive oversight of 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): Members of the all-female Yazidi Company of the Kurdish Security Forces participate in various training activities at the Zeravani Tigers Training Center, Erbil, Iraq (U.S. Army photo); U.S. Army Soldiers conduct training on a M777 Howitzer in Syria (U.S. Army photo); Parcels of non-food items are distributed to families across Baghdad, Ninewa, Anbar, Salah ad Din, and Diyala provinces (USAID photo); The Prime Minister of the Republic of Iraq, Mustafa al-Kadhimi, meets with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg (NATO photo). (Bottom row): U.S. Army Soldiers evaluate local conditions in a Syrian village (U.S. Army photo). MESSAGE FROM THE LEAD INSPECTOR GENERAL I am pleased to present this Lead IG quarterly report on Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR). The U.S. Government continued to make incremental progress toward its goal of preventing ISIS from regenerating in Iraq and Syria. However, Coalition partners in Iraq and Syria continued to rely on Coalition support to conduct operations, and ISIS remained entrenched as a low-level insurgency. At the end of the quarter, foreign ministers of the 83-member Coalition met and reaffirmed their shared fight against ISIS. Prior to publishing this report, President Biden issued a statement with the Iraqi Prime Minister on their shared committment to strengthening the U.S.–Iraq partnership. ISIS attacks increased compared to the previous quarter, particularly during Ramadan. In Iraq, the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) and Kurdish Peshmerga conducted their first joint operation in a disputed area that ISIS uses for operations and smuggling routes—a milestone in the ability of the two forces to fight ISIS together. However, the ISF still has “limited ability” to secure its border with Syria and conduct nighttime operations. In Syria, ISIS continued attacks despite pressure from Coalition partners, the Syrian regime, and Russia. In April, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) completed a security sweep at the al-Hol displaced persons camp, which led to Sean W. O’Donnell reduced ISIS violence. However, the reduction in violence may only be temporary. U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) reported that ISIS retained a “strong presence” in the camp during the quarter and media sources reported that ISIS violence in al-Hol rose in June. Iran-aligned militias continued to threaten the progress of the OIR mission during the quarter. The militias attacked U.S. facilities in Iraq using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs)—a new capability, according to USCENTCOM—and also conducted attacks on Coalition forces in Syria. Combined Joint Task Force–Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF-OIR) said that the overall impact of militia activities on the OIR campaign has so far been “minimal,” but the attacks often resulted in the diversion of intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) assets away from counter-ISIS activities. In addition, Mission Iraq staff in Baghdad remained under an ordered departure, due in part to the militia attacks as well as the coronavirus-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The U.S. Embassy in Baghdad reported that while it continued to fulfill its mission, the reduced staffing negatively affected morale and services. During the quarter, U.S. Government efforts to promote regional stability in Iraq and Syria continued to face challenging conditions, including economic crises, drought conditions, and the COVID-19 pandemic. These conditions contribute to instability and suffering, and provide fertile opportunities for ISIS to expand its influence. In Iraq, the Iraqi government and the international community still plan to hold elections in October, although several political parties withdrew from the election process. In Syria, efforts to negotiate a political solution to the civil conflict remained stalled. Efforts to repatriate residents of displaced persons camps in Syria continued, including the repatriation of 93 Iraqi families from the al-Hol camp. As the quarter ended, a delegation of U.S. officials visited the al-Hol camp and met with humanitarian assistance groups and camp administration. We will continue to report on the status of OIR, including the counter-ISIS mission, the effects of malign actors on the mission, and U.S. Government efforts to address the underlying factors that influence stability in Iraq and Syria. I look forward to working with my Lead IG colleagues to continue to provide oversight of and report on OIR, as required by the IG Act. Sean W. O’Donnell Acting Inspector General U.S. Department of Defense MAIN CONTENTS U.S. Army Soldiers conduct training on a M777 Howitzer in Syria. (U.S. Army photo) CONTENTS April 1, 2021–June 30, 2021 2 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 9 STATUS OF OIR 12 Status of ISIS 21 Status of Funding 24 Status of Personnel 27 IRAQ 28 Security 47 Politics and Economics 55 StabIlization 59 Humanitarian Assistance 65 SYRIA 66 Security 77 Stabilization 81 Humanitarian Assistance 89 OVERSIGHT ACTIVITIES 90 Strategic Planning 92 Audit, Inspection, and Evaluation Activity 99 Investigations and Hotline Activity 103 APPENDICES 104 Appendix A: Classified Appendix to this Report 104 Appendix B: Methodology for Preparing this Lead IG Quarterly Report 105 Appendix C: Department of Justice Prosecutions and Activities Against Terrorism 107 Appendix D: Department of the Treasury and Department of State Actions Against Terrorist Financing 109 Appendix E: Ongoing Oversight Projects 111 Appendix F: Planned Oversight Projects 113 Acronyms 115 Map of Iraq 116 Map of Syria 117 Endnotes LEAD IG REPORT TO THE U.S. CONGRESS I 1 OPERATION INHERENT RESOLVE A U.S. Army Soldier evaluates local conditions in a Syrian village. (U.S. Army photo) EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR) mission is to achieve the defeat of ISIS in Iraq and Syria, while setting the conditions for follow-on activities to improve regional stability.1 OIR is currently in Phase IV, “Normalize,” the final phase of the OIR campaign plan.