Syrian President Bashar Assad says members of the Islamic State group held in the country will stand trial in local courts specialized in terrorism cases.

Assad made his comments in an interview with Paris Match when asked about a deal with a Kurdish-led force that would eventually bring their areas under government control.

The Syrian Democratic Forces, who defeated IS in March with the help of the U.S.-led coalition, is holding more than 10,000 militants, including some 2,000 foreigners.

Abandoned by their U.S. allies, the Kurds turned to Assad and Russia for protection and over the past weeks Syrian and Russian forces have moved into areas once held by Kurds.

Assad said: "Every terrorist in the areas controlled by the Syrian state will be subject to Syrian law."