▁several ▁Western ▁nations ▁supported ▁the ▁S DF ▁advance . ▁The ▁Sy rian ▁Observ atory ▁for ▁Human ▁Rights ▁stated ▁that ▁besides ▁US ▁special ▁forces , ▁German ▁and ▁French ▁forces ▁were ▁particip ating . ▁Germany ▁officially ▁denied ▁the ▁report , ▁but ▁France ▁confirmed ▁it . ▁ ▁After ▁two ▁Sy rian ▁Air ▁Force ▁SU - 2 4 ' s ▁started ▁air ▁strik es ▁in ▁Al - Has ak ah , ▁on ▁ 1 9 ▁August ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁near ▁where ▁coal ition ▁forces ▁were ▁conduct ing ▁operations ▁on ▁the ▁ground , ▁coal ition ▁aircraft ▁arrived ▁and ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Department ▁of ▁Def ense ▁said ▁that ▁" It ▁troubles ▁us ▁when ▁we ▁see ▁regime ▁air ▁strik es ▁in ▁Has ak ah ▁in ▁an ▁area ▁where ▁it ▁is ▁well ▁known ▁by ▁everybody , ▁to ▁include ▁the ▁Ass ad ▁regime , ▁that ▁the ▁coal ition ▁is ▁act ively ▁engaged ▁in ▁operations ▁against ▁Is is ", ▁implicitly ▁recogn izing ▁that ▁el ite ▁troops ▁are ▁training ▁and ▁supporting ▁the ▁Y PG ▁and ▁the ▁Sy rian ▁Democratic ▁Forces ▁in ▁the ▁area . ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁late ▁summer ▁ 2 0 1 6 ▁Turkish ▁military ▁inter vention ▁in ▁the ▁Sy rian ▁Civil ▁War ▁in ▁the ▁Man bij ▁Region , ▁U . S . ▁Special ▁Oper ations ▁Forces ▁embedded ▁with ▁S DF ▁forces ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁successfully ▁d eter ▁Turkey ▁and ▁Turkish - back ed ▁j ih adi ▁reb els ▁from ▁attack ing ▁S DF ▁forces ▁south ▁of ▁the ▁S aj ur ▁river . ▁Further , ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Department ▁of