▁in ▁addition ▁to ▁the ▁two ▁air fields ▁the ▁U . S . ▁is ▁widely ▁reported ▁to ▁already ▁co - oper ate ▁there : ▁Ab u ▁H aj ar ▁Airport ▁in ▁R mel an ▁in ▁the ▁J az ira ▁Region ▁and ▁one ▁air field ▁at ▁the ▁village ▁of ▁Sep te ▁south ▁of ▁Kob an î ▁in ▁the ▁Eu phr ates ▁Region . ▁▁ ▁Late ▁October ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁U . S . ▁Army ▁L t . ▁Gen . ▁Stephen ▁J . ▁Town send , ▁the ▁commander ▁of ▁the ▁international ▁coal ition ▁against ▁the ▁Islam ic ▁State ▁of ▁Ira q ▁and ▁the ▁Lev ant , ▁said ▁that ▁the ▁S DF ▁would ▁lead ▁the ▁imp ending ▁assault ▁on ▁Ra qq a , ▁I SI L ' s ▁strong hold ▁and ▁capital , ▁and ▁that ▁S DF ▁command ers ▁would ▁plan ▁the ▁operation ▁with ▁advice ▁from ▁American ▁and ▁coal ition ▁troops . ▁From ▁November , ▁more ▁than ▁ 3 0 0 ▁U . S . ▁Special ▁Oper ations ▁Forces ▁were ▁embedded ▁to ▁train ▁and ▁advise ▁S DF ▁f igh ters ▁in ▁the ▁Ra qq a ▁off ensive . ▁ ▁In ▁January ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁the ▁European ▁Sy ri ac ▁Union ▁in ▁Br uss els ▁requested ▁the ▁US ▁to ▁provide ▁more ▁support ▁for ▁the ▁Ass y rian ▁and ▁Kur d ish ▁components ▁of ▁the ▁Sy rian ▁Democratic ▁Forces . ▁The ▁US ▁reported ly ▁fav oured ▁the ▁Arab ▁components ▁in ▁the ▁S DF , ▁in ▁April ▁the ▁M FS ▁and ▁the ▁H SN