Syria’s Defense Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra announced on Wednesday that the government is open to negotiations with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) regarding its disbandment, but warned that military action remains an option if talks fail.

“The door to negotiation with the SDF is currently open,” Abu Qasra told reporters, including AFP. “If we have to use force, we will be ready,” he added.

The announcement comes after reports of a recent meeting between SDF representatives and Syria's leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, who also heads the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, a prominent player in the rebel offensive that ousted President Bashar al-Assad.

Sharaa previously told Al Arabiya TV that the Kurdish-led forces should integrate into Syria’s new national army, emphasizing that "weapons must be in the hands of the state alone."

The SDF, which is backed by the United States, played a pivotal role in ousting Islamic State jihadists from their last stronghold in Syria in 2019. Since then, the group has controlled large swathes of the oil-rich northeast, where they have enjoyed de facto autonomy during much of the civil war that began in 2011.

“They offered us oil, but we don't want oil,” Abu Qasra said. “We want the institutions and the borders.”

The Syrian government’s stance marks a critical juncture in the country’s efforts to reassert control over its territories, particularly in the northeast, as it navigates the complex political and military challenges of post-war reconstruction.