ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - Syria’s new de facto ruler, Ahmed al-Sharaa on Sunday said that they were currently in talks with the authorities of northeast Syria to incorporate the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) into the defense ministry.

Sharaa said in an interview with Saudi state-owned Al Arabiya channel that the current administration in Damascus has engaged in talks with the SDF to resolve the crisis in northeastern Syria and later include the group in the regular defense forces of the state.

The new Syrian de facto ruler said that the Kurds are "an integral part" of Syria, stressing that the country "will not be divided."

The semi-autonomous Kurdish enclave is protected by local police, the People’s Protection Units (YPG), and the Women’s Protection Units (YPJ), which later became part of the multi-ethnic and multi-religious SDF, backed by the US.

Clashes have erupted between the Kurdish forces and Turkey and its affiliated rebel groups in SDF-controlled areas since the start of the ex-rebel groups' campaign in late November, resulting in casualties and leading to the displacement of thousands of civilians.

After the downfall of Assad earlier this month, SDF commander-in-chief Mazloum Abdi said they had not "made any decision to fight against” the ex-rebel groups, nor do the groups to fight the SDF.

The US-backed Kurdish forces currently control the bulk of northeastern and eastern regions of Syria, amounting to a quarter of the country's territory. Formed in 2015, the SDF is considered the Kurdish de facto army in Syria.

Turkey, which currently fights Kurdish-led forces in Syria along with armed groups that they back, considers the YPG, which is the backbone of the SDF, as inextricably linked to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), however, the YPG insists that they merely subscribe to similar ideology.

The PKK is an armed group that has fought for increased Kurdish rights in Turkey for decades. The group is designated a terrorist organization by Ankara.

An 11-day sweeping rebel offensive spearheaded by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham, led by Sharaa, brought a five-decade-long rule of the Assad family to an end on December 8.

Soon after Assad’s ouster, Damascus became a hotspot for diplomats’ visits worldwide, including a top delegation from Iraq. Baghdad was a key backer of Assad and had expressed worry on multiple occasions that the rapid developments in the neighboring country would pose security threats to Iraq.

In parts of his speech, Sharaa said that "liberating Syria guarantees the security of the region and the Gulf for the next fifty years."

Soon after the Damascus regime's downfall, the ex-rebel groups formed an interim government that would last until March 1 under Mohammed al-Bashir's leadership.

Sharaa said drafting a new constitution in the country may take about three years, and organizing elections may require four years.

Concerning the dissolution of the rebel factions, including HTS, Sharaa reiterated they would "certainly be dissolved, and this will be announced at the National Dialogue Conference”, due to be held in Damascus in the near future.