Hurritan and Malah Ceasefire

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Country/entity: Syria
Region: Middle East and North Africa
Agreement name: Hurritan and Malah Ceasefire
Date: 16 Feb 2014
Agreement status: Multiparty signed/agreed
Interim arrangement: Yes
Agreement/conflict level: Intrastate/local conflict
Syrian Conflicts (1948 - ) (1976 - 2005) (2011 - )
The agreements relate to three different conflict contexts. Israel-Syria and Syria-Lebanon. The Syrian-Israeli conflict was a key factor for the Syrian intervention during the Lebanese Civil War, with Syrian-backed Palestinian Liberation Army units intervened in 1976 against the Palestinian/Leftist militias. Following a massacre at Tel al-Zaatar that year, Syria was forced to accept a ceasefire at a meeting of the Arab League. However, the Arab League also mandated an Arab Deterrence Force, consisting of mostly Syrian soldiers with token contributions from other Arab League states, thus further legitimizing the Syrian presence in Lebanon. During a second bout of fighting that began in 1989, caused by the formation of rival Lebanese regimes in East and West Beirut, the Syrian-backed regime won and in 1991 the ‘Treaty of Brotherhood, Cooperation and Coordination’ was signed to legalize the Syrian occupation as a means to ensure the security of Syria. Syrian forces were forced to withdraw in 2005 following possible involvement in the assassination of Lebanon’s President Hariri.

Syria-internal. In 2011, domestic upheaval following a wave of protests across the Arab World soon led to violent repression of protestors by Syrian government troops. The violence progressed steadily and by July 2011 the Free Syrian Army (FSA) was formed consisting of defected military units and new recruits. The FSA and rebel umbrella group known as the Syrian National Council represented the first attempt at coordinating rebel factions in late 2011. However, a steady influx of foreign fighters and increased sectarianism radicalised opposition groups, which relied on foreign funding. The nature of the conflict changed drastically in late 2013 as infighting among the opposition groups increased. One of the more significant developments was the split between the al-Qaeda outfits the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, ISIS), and Jabhat al-Nusra in early 2014 in addition to the intensified targeting of other rebel factions by ISIS fighters in particular, including the Kurdish Peshmerga, the FSA and other jihadist outfits. Since the summer of 2014, the conflict was further internationalized when ISIS announced the formation of an Islamic state eroding the state line between Iraq and Syria and also in mid-2015 when Russian forces intervened on behalf of the Bashar al-Assad government in Damascus.
Stage: Ceasefire/related
Conflict nature: Inter-group
Peace process: Syrian Local Agreements
Parties: Jaysh al-Muhajireen wal-Ansar, ‘Abd al-Karim al-Awkarani [Illegible]
Harakat Ahrar al-Sham al-Islamiyya, Abu ‘Amir al-Shami [Illegible]
Liva’ Shuhada Badr, ‘Abd al-Khalaq Abu Ahmad [Illegible]
Third parties: The agreement was made in the presence of Sheikh Abu ‘Amir, representative of Harakat Ahrar al- Sham al-Islamiyya and in the presence of two representatives of the two sides.
Description: Eight point ceasefire calling for an end to hostilities, prisoner release, Jaysh al-Muhajireen wal-Ansar to remain in their current location; to not set up in areas occupied by families; division of power over the checkpoints; that weapons cases before the respective date of signature will not be dropped; that Shuhada Badr will not set up in the Malah area; that the sides will support each other in the fight against the Syrian regime.

Agreement document: SY_140216_Hurritan and Malah Ceasefire_EN.pdf (opens in new tab) | Download PDF
Agreement document (original language): SY_140216_Hurritan and Malah Ceasefire_AR.pdf (opens in new tab)| Download PDF

Groups

Children/youth: No specific mention.
Disabled persons: No specific mention.
Elderly/age: No specific mention.
Migrant workers: No specific mention.
Racial/ethnic/national group: No specific mention.
Religious groups: No specific mention.
Indigenous people: No specific mention.
Other groups: No specific mention.
Refugees/displaced persons: No specific mention.
Social class: No specific mention.

Gender

Women, girls and gender: No specific mention.
Men and boys: No specific mention.
LGBTI: No specific mention.
Family: Page 1, Fourth: The two sides have agreed to not form a headquarters among the residing families of the other side.

State definition

Nature of state (general): No specific mention.
State configuration: No specific mention.
Self determination: No specific mention.
Referendum: No specific mention.
State symbols: No specific mention.
Independence/secession: No specific mention.
Accession/unification: No specific mention.
Border delimitation: No specific mention.
Cross-border provision: No specific mention.

Governance

Political institutions (new or reformed): No specific mention.
Elections: No specific mention.
Electoral commission: No specific mention.
Political parties reform: No specific mention.
Civil society: No specific mention.
Traditional/religious leaders: No specific mention.
Public administration: No specific mention.
Constitution: No specific mention.

Power sharing

Political power sharing: No specific mention.
Territorial power sharing: No specific mention.
Economic power sharing: No specific mention.
Military power sharing: No specific mention.

Human rights and equality

Human rights/RoL general: No specific mention.
Bill of rights/similar: No specific mention.
Treaty incorporation: No specific mention.
Civil and political rights: No specific mention.
Socio-economic rights: No specific mention.

Rights related issues

Citizenship: No specific mention.
Democracy: No specific mention.
Detention procedures: No specific mention.
Media and communication: No specific mention.
Mobility/access: No specific mention.
Protection measures: No specific mention.
Other: No specific mention.

Rights institutions

NHRI: No specific mention.
Regional or international human rights institutions: No specific mention.

Justice sector reform

Criminal justice and emergency law: No specific mention.
State of emergency provisions: No specific mention.
Judiciary and courts: No specific mention.
Prisons and detention: No specific mention.
Traditional Laws: Page 1, First: The two sides have agreed to a full suspension of hostilities. [They have also agreed] to refer all outstanding issues between them, as well as emerging issues, to the rightful law of Allah by the arbitration of the Sharia [Shari’ah] Board in Aleppo.

Page 1, Fifth: The checkpoints in the area belong to the Shariah Board, Ahrar al-Sham and Jubhat al-Nusra. It is illegal for any muahjir or masked person to be stationed at the checkpoint.

Socio-economic reconstruction

Development or socio-economic reconstruction: No specific mention.
National economic plan: No specific mention.
Natural resources: No specific mention.
International funds: No specific mention.
Business: No specific mention.
Taxation: No specific mention.
Banks: No specific mention.

Land, property and environment

Land reform/rights: No specific mention.
Pastoralist/nomadism rights: No specific mention.
Cultural heritage: No specific mention.
Environment: No specific mention.
Water or riparian rights or access: No specific mention.

Security sector

Security Guarantees: No specific mention.
Ceasefire: Security sector→Ceasefire→Ceasefire provision
Page 1, First: The two sides have agreed to a full suspension of hostilities. [They have also agreed] to refer all outstanding issues between them, as well as emerging issues, to the rightful law of Allah by the arbitration of the Sharia [Shari’ah] Board in Aleppo.

Page 1, Fourth: The two sides have agreed to not form a headquarters among the residing families of the other side.

Page 1, Fifth: The checkpoints in the area belong to the Shariah Board, Ahrar al-Sham and Jubhat al-Nusra. It is illegal for any muahjir or masked person to be stationed at the checkpoint.

Page 1, Seventh: Liva’ Shuhada Badr vows to not form military headquarters in Malah or its surroundings.

Page 1, Eighth: The two sides vow to give all forms of support to each other in the battle against the regime of al-Assad, according to their capacity.
Police: No specific mention.
Armed forces: No specific mention.
DDR: Security sector→DDR→Demilitarisation provisions
Page 1, Fifth: The checkpoints in the area belong to the Shariah Board, Ahrar al-Sham and Jubhat al-Nusra. It is illegal for any muahjir or masked person to be stationed at the checkpoint.
Intelligence services: No specific mention.
Parastatal/rebel and opposition group forces: Page 1, Third: The brothers in Jaysh al-Muhajireen wal-Ansar will remain in their headquarters in the area excepting the houses owned by the Shuhada’ Badr that were given to them.
Withdrawal of foreign forces: No specific mention.
Corruption: No specific mention.
Crime/organised crime: No specific mention.
Drugs: No specific mention.
Terrorism: No specific mention.

Transitional justice

Transitional justice general: No specific mention.
Amnesty/pardon: No specific mention.
Courts: No specific mention.
Mechanism: No specific mention.
Prisoner release: Page 1, Second: Both sides will immediately and unconditionally release all prisoners.
Vetting: No specific mention.
Victims: No specific mention.
Missing persons: No specific mention.
Reparations: No specific mention.
Reconciliation: No specific mention.

Implementation

UN signatory: No specific mention.
Other international signatory: No specific mention.
Referendum for agreement: No specific mention.
International mission/force/similar: No specific mention.
Enforcement mechanism: No specific mention.
Related cases: No specific mention.
Source: J Pazaszczuk. ‘Syria: Did Jaish al-Mahajireen wal-Ansar Sign agreement with Free Syrian Army’s Shuhada Badr?’, February 17, 2014, https://bit.ly/2qmqwaJ [accessed January 10, 2017]

Unnamed Agreement, (Hurritan and Malah Ceasefire), 16 February 2014

In the Name of Allah the Merciful

This is what was agreed between Jaysh al-Muhajireen wal-Ansar - represented by Brother ‘Abd al- Karim al-Awkarani – and Liva’ Shuhada’ Badr [The Badr Martyrs Brigade] – represented by ‘Abd al- Khalaq Abu Ahmad – regarding the problems in the areas of Hurritan and Malah and their surroundings.

First:

The two sides have agreed to a full suspension of hostilities. [

They have also agreed] to refer all outstanding issues between them, as well as emerging issues, to the rightful law of Allah by the arbitration of the Sharia [Shari’ah] Board in Aleppo.

Second:

Both sides will immediately and unconditionally release all prisoners.

Third:

The brothers in Jaysh al-Muhajireen wal-Ansar will remain in their headquarters in the area

excepting the houses owned by the Shuhada’ Badr that were given to them.

Fourth:

The two sides have agreed to not form a headquarters among the residing families of the other side.

Fifth:

The checkpoints in the area belong to the Shariah Board, Ahrar al-Sham and Jubhat al-Nusra.

It is illegal for any muahjir or masked person to be stationed at the checkpoint.

Sixth:

The two sides have agreed that no incidents [cases] linked to weapons before the date of the agreement should be lifted.

Seventh:

Liva’ Shuhada Badr vows to not form military headquarters in Malah or its surroundings.

Eighth:

The two sides vow to give all forms of support to each other in the battle against the

regime of al-Assad, according to their capacity.

The agreement was made in the presence of Sheikh Abu ‘Amir, representative of Harakat Ahrar al- Sham al-Islamiyya and in the presence of two representatives of the two sides.

Monday:

16/2/2014 AD 16/4/1435 Hijri

Jaysh al-Muhajireen wal-Ansar ‘Abd al-Karim al-Awkarani

[Illegible]

Harakat Ahrar al-Sham al-Islamiyya

Abu ‘Amir al-Shami [Illegible]

Liva’ Shuhada Badr

Praised be Allah, Lord of the Two Worlds

‘Abd al-Khalaq Abu Ahmad [Illegible]