The threat was made by Syria’s defense minister at a news conference on Monday alongside his Iranian and Iraqi counterparts.

“The only card remaining in the hands of the Americans and their allies is the SDF, and it will be dealt with through the two methods used by the Syrian state: national reconciliation or the liberation of the areas that they control through force,” Syrian Defense Minister General Ali Abdullah Ayoub said.

The US-allied Kurdish-led administration said the statements showed Damascus wanted to “avoid peaceful, democratic solutions” to the Syrian conflict.

The SDF control around a third of Syria after expelling Islamic State (IS) militants from a large northeastern swathe of the war-torn country with backing from the US-led coalition.

The Kurds want to safeguard their autonomous region inside a decentralized state when US troops currently backing them pull out. They also hope a deal with Damascus would dissuade neighboring Turkey from attacking them.

Reporter’s code: 50101