The Islamic State group is "resurging" in Syria as the United States withdraws its troops from the war-torn country, and has solidified its insurgent capabilities in neighboring Iraq, a US Defense Department watchdog said Tuesday.
The jihadist group – which suffered major territorial losses at the hands of Iraqi and Syrian forces backed by a US-led international air campaign – is exploiting weaknesses in local forces to make gains, the report said.
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"Despite losing its territorial 'caliphate,' the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria solidified its insurgent capabilities in Iraq and was resurging in Syria this quarter," according to the report.
ISIS has been able to "regroup and sustain operations" in the two countries partially because local forces "remain unable to sustain long-term operations, conduct multiple operations simultaneously, or hold territory that they have cleared," the report continued.
The terrorist group's resurgence in Syria is coming as Washington has "completed a partial withdrawal" from the country, a move made despite commanders asserting that the local US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces "needed more training and equipping for counterinsurgency operations."
Last year, US President Donald Trump declared victory against ISIS and ordered the withdrawal of all American troops from Syria – a decision that prompted then-Defense Secretary James Mattis to resign.
This article was originally published by i24NEWS.
