▁in ▁particular ▁of ▁Arab , ▁Turk men ▁and ▁Ass y rian ▁participation ▁in ▁the ▁S DF ▁has ▁since ▁continued . ▁In ▁an ▁interview ▁on ▁the ▁first ▁anni versary ▁of ▁the ▁S DF ' s ▁found ing , ▁sp okes man ▁Tal al ▁Sil o , ▁an ▁eth nic ▁Turk men ▁and ▁former ▁commander ▁of ▁the ▁Sel ju q ▁Brigade , ▁stated ▁that ▁" we ▁started ▁with ▁ 1 3 ▁fa ctions ▁and ▁now ▁there ▁are ▁ 3 2 ▁fa ctions ", ▁and ▁that ▁" 9 0 ▁percent " ▁of ▁the ▁S DF ▁growth ▁since ▁it ▁began ▁its ▁operations ▁were ▁eth nic ▁Arab s . ▁In ▁the ▁context ▁of ▁the ▁November ▁ 2 0 1 6 ▁Northern ▁Ra qq a ▁off ensive , ▁The ▁Econom ist ▁said ▁the ▁S DF ▁fighting ▁force ▁to ▁be ▁composed ▁of ▁" about ▁ 2 0 , 0 0 0 ▁Y PG ▁f igh ters ▁and ▁about ▁ 1 0 , 0 0 0 ▁Arab s ". ▁The ▁next ▁month ▁in ▁December ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁Colonel ▁John ▁Dor rian , ▁the ▁Operation ▁In her ent ▁Resol ve ▁sp okes man , ▁stated ▁that ▁the ▁S DF ▁contained ▁around ▁ 4 5 , 0 0 0 ▁f igh ters , ▁of ▁which ▁more ▁than ▁ 1 3 , 0 0 0 ▁were ▁Arab s . ▁ ▁On ▁ 6 ▁January ▁ 2 0 1 6 ▁an ▁additional ▁ 4 0 0 ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁Arab ▁De ir ▁ez - Z or ▁Governor ate - based ▁tribe ▁al