Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve |
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| Participant in the Syrian Civil War, the War in Iraq (2013–2017), and the War on Terror | |
Seal of Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve
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| Active | 10 October 2014 – present (10 years, 8 months, 1 week and 1 day) |
| Founders |  United States |
| Founding leader | United States Central Command |
| Current Commander |  MG Joel "JB" Vowell |
| Deputy Commander |
 Brig. Ben Halsted |
| Chief of Staff | Brig Gen Jeffrey T. Schreiner |
| Senior Enlisted Leader | CMDCM Timothy L. Garman |
| Spokesperson | Col. Myles B. Caggins III |
| Headquarters | Kuwait |
| Part of | CENTCOM |
| Allies |
Contributing nations:
Primary:
United States United Kingdom France Iraq Turkey Australia Canada Jordan Denmark Netherlands Belgium Lebanon Romania Saudi Arabia United Arab EmiratesIn support of:  Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria Syrian National ArmyNon-combat support only:  Morocco Qatar Bahrain Italy Germany Spain Portugal Poland Georgia Japan Republic of China South Korea New Zealand India Hungary Estonia Austria Albania Greece Armenia Bulgaria Slovakia Slovenia Serbia Kosovo Bosnia and Herzegovina Luxembourg Latvia Lithuania Iceland |
| Opponents |  Syria Iran Islamic State Tahrir al-Sham al-Qaeda White Flags |
| Battles and wars | International campaign against ISIL
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The Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF–OIR) is a group of military forces from many countries. It was created by a U.S.-led international team to fight against the Islamic State group. Their main goal is to weaken and defeat this organization. This task force is led by United States Army Central (ARCENT) and includes soldiers and staff from over 30 nations.
CJTF-OIR was formed in October 2014 by U.S. Central Command. It was set up to better organize the efforts against the Islamic State, especially after the group gained a lot of ground in Iraq. Its main military mission, called Operation Inherent Resolve, involves actions in Iraq, Syria, and Libya. The current leader of this group is U.S. Army Major General Matthew W. McFarlane.
Most of CJTF-OIR's fighting has been through airstrikes against the Islamic State. They also have ground forces, including special teams, artillery, and military advisors who help train local forces. The United States carries out most of the airstrikes. Other countries like Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom also help. Even though this task force is not part of NATO, all 31 NATO member countries contribute to CJTF-OIR.
By the end of 2017, CJTF-OIR reported that its airstrikes had stopped many Islamic State fighters. The group also gave over $3.5 billion in military gear to the Iraqi Armed Forces. They also trained 189,000 Iraqi soldiers and police. They have also given a lot of help to the Syrian Democratic Forces.
The combat mission in Iraq officially ended in December 2021. However, U.S. troops are still in Iraq. They now focus on training and advising local forces.
How CJTF-OIR Is Organized
CJTF-OIR has a clear leadership structure. Its main office is at Camp Arifjan in Kuwait. About 700 people from 27 countries work there. They help plan and coordinate military actions in Iraq and Syria.
The task force often has different leaders over time. These leaders are usually high-ranking generals from the U.S. Army. They work with deputies from other countries, like the United Kingdom. These deputies help manage different parts of the mission, such as stability or operations.
Many countries that are not directly involved in fighting still help with the "Building Capacity Mission" (BPC) in Iraq. This program trains Iraqi security forces. Countries like the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Italy have helped with this training. Thanks to the BPC program, thousands of Iraqi forces have completed their training.
Special Operations Teams
There is a special group called the Combined Special Operations Joint Task Force-Levant (CSOJTF-Levant). This group was first known as Special Operations Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve (SOJTF-OIR). It was formed in 2015. This team includes highly trained special forces. They lead many of CJTF-OIR's efforts against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.
CSOJTF-Levant works under Special Operations Command Central. They have trained special operations units in the region. In 2022, this special task force was reorganized. It now handles a wider range of special operations. These include activities in countries like Jordan, Lebanon, and Egypt. This change helps them work better across the entire region.
History of the Mission
From August 2014 to August 2015, planes from the coalition flew over 45,000 missions. The U.S. Air Force flew most of these missions. They dropped many bombs during this time. The Royal Air Force from the UK also carried out many airstrikes.
In October 2015, Tunisia announced it would join CJTF–OIR.
By April 2017, CJTF-OIR estimated that their actions had stopped many Islamic State fighters since 2014. The special operations teams were responsible for a large number of these.
In April 2019, a study by Amnesty International and Airwars looked into the battle to take the Syrian city of Raqqa from the Islamic State in 2017. The Coalition stated that they carried out many strikes against Islamic State targets between August 2014 and March 2019. They also reported that some civilians were unintentionally harmed during these operations. The coalition always aims to avoid harming civilians.
See also
- International Security Assistance Force (ISAF)
- Multi-National Force – Iraq (MNF–I)
- Islamic terrorism in Europe
