Syrian Defense Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra confirmed today (Wednesday) that the new authorities, which pledged to dissolve the armed factions and integrate them into the framework of a unified army, are negotiating with the Kurdish forces controlling areas in the northeast of the country, but are prepared to resort to “force” if necessary. Command.

Abu Qasra said in a meeting with journalists in Damascus, including an Agence France-Presse correspondent: “The door to negotiation with (SDF) - the Syrian Democratic Forces, whose backbone is the Kurds - is currently open, and if we are forced to resort to force, we will be ready.” . He pointed out that “the vision is not clear in negotiating with (SDF) until today.”

After opposition factions led by Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham overthrew President Bashar al-Assad on December 8, the new authorities announced in the same month that they had reached an agreement with "all armed factions" aimed at dissolving them and integrating them under the umbrella of the Ministry of Defense. However, the agreement does not include the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), whose backbone is the Kurds, which is supported by the United States and controls large areas in the northeast of the country.

The leader of the new Syrian administration, Ahmed Al-Sharaa, met late last month with a delegation from the SDF, according to an official familiar with the meeting, indicating that the talks were “positive.”

He added that the meeting was “a preliminary meeting to lay the foundation for future dialogue,” adding that “it was agreed to continue meetings to reach future understandings.”

Abu Qasra stressed that “SDF cannot enter as a body in the Ministry of Defense because that does not achieve the public interest,” stressing that “all factions must move to the institutional state, including Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham”