American operations in Afghanistan have continued to face setbacks due to regular turnover of U.S. military and diplomatic personnel, according to a government watchdog.
"Short tours make it more difficult for key personnel to build the relationships, knowledge, ability, and focus needed to make progress on critical challenges before their tour ends," the lead inspector general of overseas contingency operations said in a report released Tuesday.
Though the United States has seen some progress in this realm, including longer stays of several key leaders and an uptick of American personnel completing multiple tours in the country, officials said, "the constant 'churn' of personnel remains an obstacle," according to the report.
Security restrictions preventing most American civilian personnel from leaving the U.S. embassy compound in Kabul have also hindered operations by limiting regular face-to-face interaction with the Afghan people and preventing personal observations of U.S.-led projects, the inspector general said.
A spokesperson for the NATO Resolute Support mission in Afghanistan did not respond to a request for comment.
The Trump administration in August released an updated South East Asia policy in an attempt to break a years-long stalemate in the war. The new policy increased U.S. troops in Afghanistan from 11,000 to 15,000 and granted U.S. commanders in the country with greater authorities and more flexibility to operate.
American-led operations are set to increase in the coming months as the Taliban prepares to commence its spring fighting season. U.S. military commanders have predicted greater success against the Taliban, which currently controls or contests roughly 45 percent of the country.
Last month, the U.S. military began redirecting personnel and equipment from Iraq and Syria back to Afghanistan, where the Pentagon has hoped to revamp its fight against the Taliban. Top military officials have said the drawdown of major combat operations against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria will allow the Pentagon to again prioritize the 16-year war in Afghanistan.
U.S. Air Force Major General James Hecker told reporters last month the "weight and effort" of the U.S. intelligence community would be shifted to Afghanistan by the end of March. The Pentagon also plans to deploy up to 1,000 additional military advisers to the country in the coming weeks.
"With the current uplift in resources, we can decimate Taliban command and control nodes," Hecker said. "That means we can strike at the heart of training camps, where they brainwash young men to strap on a suicide vest to kill themselves and their fellow Afghans who are working to rebuild the country.