US Watchdog SIGAR to Shut Down After Years of Scrutinising Afghanistan Reconstruction

The Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR), the US government watchdog that monitored spending and corruption in Afghanistan, is set to close by the end of this month.

Established by Congress in 2008, SIGAR oversaw nearly $148 billion in reconstruction funds, repeatedly highlighting widespread corruption, financial waste, ghost soldiers, unfinished projects, and misconduct by both US and Afghan officials, according to the Washington Times.

In its final report issued in December 2025, the agency said the United States spent more on building a democratic system in Afghanistan than it did on rebuilding Europe after World War II.

The US effort in Afghanistan is widely viewed as one of the most costly and unsuccessful interventions in modern history. Following the US withdrawal in August 2021, the Afghan government collapsed within weeks and the Taliban returned to power.

At the time of the pullout, an estimated $7.1 billion in military equipment was left behind and fell into Taliban hands, while around $24 billion in civilian and military infrastructure was also lost.

Reports say SIGAR’s website has been taken offline, with its records now preserved in the University of North Texas digital archive.