Homs Ceasefire

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Country/entity: Syria
Region: Middle East and North Africa
Agreement name: Homs Ceasefire
Date: 4 Dec 2015
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: Government
Peace process: Intra-Syrian Process (state/non-state)
Parties: Government
Deeb Zaytūn, head of the Syrian Intelligence
Talāl al-Barāzī, Governor of Homs

Rebel Groups
Faylaq al-Shām: Āhrār al-Shām and Katā’ib al-Jihād al-Islāmī
[participants not noted in agreement]
Third parties: International Observers
Yaqoub al-Helo, the representative of the United Nations Development Program in Syria
Khoula Matar, head of UN and Arab League Envoy to Syria Staffan De Mistura's political office.
Description: A short truce for the city of Homs allowing for the withdrawal of non-state militants, disarmament, relocation of civilians and past provisions for victims.

Agreement document: SY_151207_Homs Ceasefire_EN.pdf (opens in new tab) | Download PDF
Agreement document (original language): SY_151207_Homs Ceasefire_AR.pdf (opens in new tab)| Download PDF

Local agreement properties

Process type: Formal structured process
Rationale: -> Link to national level; external support mechanism; culture of signing There was allegedly a formally-establish mechanism to support the negotiation as representatives of the United Nations and the Arab League acted as international observers of the peace process. Moreover, the struggle between the two parties lies at the centre of the Syrian conflict and has been a recurring point of contention ever since 2011. Finally, reports point to previous attempts to reach a reconciliation between the Syrian government and rebel groups in al-Waer neighbourhood. Although those attempts were not successful, they account for a culture of signing agreements as a medium to solve recurring issues in this locale and to reach peace.
Is there a documented link to a national peace process?: Yes
Link to national process: articulated rationale: The agreement seems to be linked to the national peace process. The agreement involves national and local governance actors, as well as international observers.
Name of Locale: al-Wa’ir
Nature of Locale: Smaller
GPS Lat/Long (DD): 34.740963, 36.670947
Participant type: Central state actor
Local armed group
International or transnational actor
Mediator, facilitator or similar: Mediator or similar referred to
Mediator (references): Two international observers
Type of mediator/facilitator/similar: International or transnational actor

Local issues

Ritual/prayer and process (including use of scripture): No specific mention.
Grievance List: The agreement addresses local grievances that arose from the clashes between opposition groups and the Syrian government forces in the city of Homs. Those grievances are thought to be addressed by a number of provisions, including a full ceasefire, demilitarisation, opening of humanitarian access, and the return of civilians.
Cattle rustling/banditry: No specific mention.
Social cover: No specific mention.

Homs Ceasefire

December 4, 2015

First Phase:

1. A full ceasefire for a period of ten days from the date of signing the agreement.

2. Expulsion [from the talks] of those who contravene or breach this agreement

3. Presentation of a list of medium and heavy weapons, which are to be surrendered during the second phase.

4. Humanitarian organisations will be permitted to do their work

5. The ‘Diwār Muhandisīn’ Road connecting the al-Wa’ir neighbourhood and the city will be opened for pedestrians only. [

Government] Security forces will establish a checkpoint.

Those wishing to relocate outside the neighbourhood will be allowed to return to settle their affaires in the office located beside the checkpoint.

Those needing to settle [further] issues are to be taken to the [city] centre.

6. The Neighbourhood Committee shall prepare lists of those missing, kidnapped, or of unknown fate, and will thereby work to determine their fates.

In addition, a list of names shall be prepared to include those arrested and facing prison sentences by the regime, [who will later] be released upon surrendering medium and heavy weaponry in the second phase.

At the end of the first phase, the actions taken will be evaluated to avoid negative repercussions.

The undertaking of phase one is also limited to 25 days, and on the condition that no article will be implemented unless article one is upheld.

Second Phase:

1. All medium and heavy weaponry is to be gathered by the Joint Commission consisting of the Neighbourhood and Regime Committees.

The weapons will remain in storage facilities within the neighbourhood (in the al-Barr Hospital).

These arms will be barred from use and under the supervision of the Joint Commission.

2. The roads leading to general services (the Post Office, and the Directorate of Environmental Affairs) and the government roundabouts ([the roundabouts including] the station, the Judicial Palace and the blood bank, etc.)

will be opened.

The protection of roads will be undertaken by a limited number of men from the intelligence services and the police for the specified duration exclusively.

The police and intelligence services will be responsible for the operation of these services, whereon this will be discussed with the Central Negotiation Commission.

3. A plan will be presented that includes mine disposal within the neighbourhood, except the area of al-Jazīrah al-Siba’ah.

4. Civilians who left or were displaced shall return to the neighbourhood.

5. Release of those who have been arrested, except for convicts or those referred to court, and of those kidnapped on both sides.

6. Medium and heavy weapons located in the al-Barr Hospital will be handed over to the regime.

7. The implementation of this phase will take between 15 and 25 days.

Third Phase:

At the end of these terms, the situation of the areas of Jazīrah al-Siba’ah and al-Basatīn will be assessed in a meeting between the two sides.

[End of the Agreement]

Participants [From third party media, not stated in online document]

Government

Deeb Zaytūn, head of the Syrian Intelligence

Talāl al-Barāzī, Governor of Homs

Rebel Groups

Faylaq al-Shām:

Āhrār al-Shām and Katā’ib al-Jihād al-Islāmī

International Observers

Yaqoub al-Helo, the representative of the United Nations Development Program in Syria

Khoula Matar, head of UN and Arab League Envoy to Syria Staffan De Mistura's political office.

Homs Ceasefire

Local agreement properties

Local issues

Source agreement