TEHRAN - Billions of American taxpayer’s money has been lost on waste, fraud, abuse and spent on massive reconstruction projects in Afghanistan that have utterly failed and even led to rampant corruption in the war-ravaged country, says a scathing new report released by a U.S. government watchdog body.

At least $15.5 billion spent by the U.S. in rebuilding and reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan over the past 11 years have effectively gone to waste, the report by Special Inspector General of Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) says, in response to a request by three members of U.S. Congress.

The estimated amount of mismanaged funds accounted for 29 percent of the total sum audited by the watchdog body, the report states. However, it also warned that the examined spending of $52.7 billion amounts to only a fraction of the total sum of $126 billion that has been appropriated for the reconstruction of the war-torn country.

A statement issued by SIGAR chief John Sopko said that the American products have likely uncovered only a portion of the total waste, fraud, abuse and failed efforts. The analysis presented by the body mostly covered the period between SIGAR’s inception in 2008 and 2017.

The $4.7 billion spent on stabilization programs in Afghanistan between 2002 and 2017 was largely unsuccessful in building and reforming government institutions, the report says, adding that the U.S. money often exacerbated conflict, enabled corruption and bolstered support for insurgents.