ria . ▁Pol at ▁Can , ▁sp okes man ▁of ▁the ▁S DF ▁component ▁milit ia ▁People ' s ▁Prote ction ▁Units ▁( Y PG ), ▁identified ▁the ▁fre ight ▁as ▁being ▁" ass ault ▁rif les , ▁mort ars ▁and ▁am mun ition , ▁but ▁no ▁TO W ▁anti - t ank ▁miss iles ▁nor ▁anti - air craft ▁weapons ". ▁The ▁a ird rop ▁came ▁only ▁days ▁after ▁the ▁Pent agon ▁had ▁officially ▁abandoned ▁its ▁failed ▁$ 5 0 0 ▁million ▁train - and - equ ip ▁program ▁that ▁armed ▁main stream ▁opposition ▁groups ▁who ▁were ▁also ▁opposed ▁to ▁I SI L . ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁S DF ' s ▁February ▁ 2 0 1 6 ▁al - Sh add adi ▁off ensive , ▁there ▁were ▁US ▁special ▁forces ▁embedded ▁with ▁the ▁S DF ▁forces ▁who ▁coordin ated ▁a irst rik es ▁against ▁I SI L ▁with ▁the ▁S DF . ▁ ▁On ▁ 1 7 ▁March ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁the ▁day ▁after ▁the ▁declaration ▁of ▁the ▁Aut onom ous ▁Administration ▁of ▁North ▁and ▁East ▁Sy ria , ▁U . S . ▁Def ense ▁Secretary ▁As ht on ▁Carter ▁pra ised ▁the ▁S DF ▁component ▁milit ia ▁People ' s ▁Prote ction ▁Units ▁( Y PG ) ▁as ▁having ▁" pro ven ▁to ▁be ▁excellent ▁partners ▁of ▁our s ▁on ▁the ▁ground ▁in ▁fighting ▁I SI L . ▁We ▁are ▁grateful ▁for ▁that , ▁and ▁we ▁intend ▁to ▁continue ▁to ▁do ▁that , ▁recogn izing ▁the ▁complex ities