Under the Lead Inspector General framework, the Inspectors General for the Department of Defense, Department of State, and the U.S. Agency for International Development conduct oversight of and report on the overseas contingency operation "Operation Inherent Resolve" (OIR). The mission of OIR is to advise, assist, and enable partner forces until they can independently defeat ISIS in designated areas of Iraq and Syria, in order to set conditions for long-term security cooperation frameworks. The broader counter-ISIS campaign includes supporting the Iraqi government and local Syrian partners with civilian-led stabilization activities. 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.
The State Department and USAID collaborated to facilitate the return and reintegration of Iraqi and Syrian nationals from al-Hol camp back into their home communities. Repatriated Iraqis, however, encounter several challenges with reintegration. Beyond delays in the security screening process, many returning Iraqis experience difficulties within host communities due to their actual or perceived affiliation with ISIS. In response, USAID implemented various activities to support reintegration, including a case management system, socio-economic assistance, mental health and psychosocial services, and initiatives to encourage host community acceptance of repatriated Iraqis.
Approximately 16.7 million Syrians are estimated to be in need of humanitarian assistance. The U.S. Government, primarily through State and USAID, remains the largest donor for stabilization and humanitarian programming in Iraq and Syria. In FY2024, USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA) allocated $3.57 million towards Iraq’s response efforts, supporting four active awards in Q4 and eight stabilization-related awards valued at $639.5 million. For the Syria Regional Crisis Response, USAID/BHA dedicated $276.5 million across 45 active awards, with five focused on stabilization ($132 million in total). Additionally, USAID contributed $5 million to the Syria Recovery Trust Fund in 2024, totaling $70 million since 2013, and allocated $10.6 million for third-party monitoring. From FY2012 to FY2024, U.S. humanitarian funding for Syria reached $17.82 billion, comprising $9.02 billion from USAID/BHA and $8.8 billion from State/PRM.
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