▁of ▁their ▁regional ▁role ." ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁S DF ' s ▁May ▁ 2 0 1 6 ▁off ensive ▁against ▁I SI L ▁in ▁Northern ▁Ra qq a , ▁the ▁presence ▁of ▁U . S . ▁Special ▁Forces ▁was ▁widely ▁reported , ▁and ▁several ▁photograph s ▁of ▁them ▁we aring ▁bad ges ▁of ▁the ▁Y PG ▁and ▁Y P J ▁on ▁their ▁uniform s ▁circul ated . ▁▁ ▁On ▁ 2 1 ▁May ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁General ▁Joseph ▁V ot el , ▁command ing ▁general ▁of ▁U . S . ▁Central ▁Command , ▁completed ▁a ▁secret ▁several - hour - long ▁trip ▁to ▁northern ▁Sy ria ▁to ▁visit ▁several ▁locations ▁where ▁there ▁were ▁U . S . ▁special ▁operations ▁forces ▁and ▁meet ▁with ▁local ▁forces ▁the ▁U . S . ▁was ▁helping ▁train ▁to ▁fight ▁I SI L . ▁The ▁visit ▁came ▁as ▁the ▁first ▁of ▁ 2 5 0 ▁additional ▁U . S . ▁special ▁operations ▁forces ▁were ▁beginning ▁to ▁arrive ▁in ▁Sy ria ▁to ▁work ▁with ▁local ▁forces . ▁The ▁commander ▁over see ing ▁the ▁war ▁in ▁Sy ria , ▁at ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁a ▁long ▁Saturday ▁spent ▁tour ing ▁S DF ▁bases , ▁said ▁" We ▁do , ▁absolutely , ▁have ▁to ▁go ▁with ▁what ▁we ' ve ▁got ". ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁S DF ' s ▁summer ▁ 2 0 1 6 ▁Man bij ▁off ensive ▁against ▁I SI L , ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Air ▁Force ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁special ▁operation ▁forces ▁of