B ▁re aff irm ing ▁the ▁request ▁for ▁more ▁support ▁from ▁the ▁US . ▁ ▁In ▁late ▁January ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁the ▁S DF ▁received ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁arm oured ▁personnel ▁carri ers ▁produced ▁by ▁Arm or Group ▁and ▁supplied ▁by ▁the ▁US . ▁ ▁In ▁February ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁Stephen ▁Town send ▁visited ▁Kob an î . ▁On ▁ 2 5 ▁February , ▁the ▁US ▁Central ▁Command ▁stated ▁that ▁it ▁would ▁continue ▁to ▁train ▁and ▁equip ▁forces ▁of ▁the ▁Man bij ▁Military ▁Council . ▁During ▁the ▁East ▁Ale ppo ▁off ensive ▁( F ebru ary – M arch ▁ 2 0 1 7 ), ▁the ▁US ▁deployed ▁troops ▁and ▁arm ored ▁vehicles ▁to ▁villages ▁near ▁Man bij ▁in ▁an ▁attempt ▁to ▁" d eter " ▁the ▁sk irm ishes ▁between ▁the ▁S DF ▁and ▁Turkey - back ed ▁forces ▁west ▁and ▁north ▁of ▁Man bij . ▁ ▁In ▁late ▁March ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁the ▁US ▁delivered ▁ 3 0 ▁more ▁Guardian ▁arm oured ▁vehicles ▁to ▁the ▁S DF ▁for ▁use ▁in ▁the ▁Ra qq a ▁off ensive . ▁ ▁In ▁late ▁April ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁the ▁U . S . ▁just ▁as ▁in ▁the ▁summer ▁ 2 0 1 6 ▁once ▁again ▁deployed ▁U . S . ▁troops ▁embedded ▁with ▁the ▁S DF ▁to ▁the ▁border ▁between ▁the ▁Aut onom ous ▁Administration ▁of ▁North ▁and ▁East ▁Sy ria / S y ria ▁and ▁Turkey , ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁d eter