Pentagon reports Afghanistan security 'deteriorated' in 2015

By Jacqueline Klimas, Jacqueline Klimas

Published December 20, 2015

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The security situation in Afghanistan "deteriorated" over the second half of 2015, the first fighting season without Americans in the lead, according to a report released Tuesday by the Pentagon.

The 96-page report found that the Taliban-led insurgency in Afghanistan remains "resilient," despite the Afghan National Defense and Security Force's willingness to fight and the aid of U.S. training and airstrikes.

"The overall security situation in Afghanistan deteriorated with an increase in effective insurgent attacks and higher ANDSF and Taliban casualties," the report said. "Although the ANDSF maintain a significant capability advantage over the insurgency, insurgents are improving in their ability to find and exploit ANDSF vulnerabilities, making the security situation still fragile in key areas and at risk of deterioration in other places."