Homs Hudna Agreement

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Country/entity: Syria
Region: Middle East and North Africa
Agreement name: Homs Hudna Agreement
Date: 7 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: Government
Peace process: Intra-Syrian Process (state/non-state)
Parties: Syrian Government;
Local representatives;
Third parties: UN, Syrian Red Crescent, International Committee of the Red Cross.
Description: Humanitarian agreement allowing for the evacuation of civilians from the old neighbourhoods of Homs brokered by the UN and with implementation support from the Syrian Red Crescent. Men between the ages of 15-55 are vetted by Syrian government before release. Wounded are transported to hospitals by the Syrian Government in conjuction with the Red Crescent.

Agreement document: SY_140207_Homs agreement mediated by the UN_EN.pdf (opens in new tab) | Download PDF
Agreement document (original language): SY_140207_Homs Agreement Mediated by the UN_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. First, the agreement is the result of a two-week discussion. Second, the agreement was mediated and will be implemented under the auspices, supervision and in the presence of the United Nations and the ICRC. Moreover, the struggle between the parties - the Syrian army and the Syrian opposition groups - lies at the centre of the Syrian conflict and has been a recurring point of contention ever since 2011.
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 central governance actors (the Syrian government), as well as international observers/mediators.
Name of Locale: Homs, Old city
Nature of Locale: Smaller
GPS Lat/Long (DD): 34.727329, 36.718379
Participant type: Central state actor
Domestic religious organisation/leader or other elder
Mediator, facilitator or similar: Mediator or similar referred to
Mediator (references): UN, Syrian Red Crescent, International Committee of the Red Cross
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 the local grievances that arose from the clashes between oppositions groups and the Syrian government forces in several neighbourhoods of the city of Homs.

Page 1,
Drawing on our discussions since Friday 24 January 2014 and the subsequent meeting and talks regarding the situation in the old neighbourhoods of the city of Homs, and based on what we reach throughout the last few days [...]
Cattle rustling/banditry: No specific mention.
Social cover: No specific mention.

Homs agreement mediated by the UN

7 February 2014

Drawing on our discussions since Friday 24 January 2014 and the subsequent meeting and talks regarding the situation in the old neighbourhoods of the city of Homs, and based on what we reach throughout the last few days, we confirm the following:

Our readiness to provide you with the required support to contribute with us in vacating the civilians (children, women, elderly people) as soon as possible.

In this regard, we define women as female in general;

as for children, they are all whom do not exceed 15 years in age;

the elderly are those who are 60 [at later negotiations the maximum age bracket was reduced to 55] or above.

The first step should be evacuating the first batch of the civilians to the closest convenient place in the Old City with the participation and attendance of the United Nation representatives and the International Committee of the Red Cross, preferably.

In addition to that, teamwork from our side consists of social and medical commission, representatives of the Syrian Red Crescent and civil police, with female police agents in attendance.

The evacuated civilians will then be medically assisted and checked, accordingly with your collaboration.

After that they will be given the choice to move into the refugee centre that was already equipped in a suitable place close to the Old City in the presence and knowledge of your representatives.

This way their situation will be similar to other Syrians in the displaced centres where they can be supervised by the Ministry of Social Affairs, the organizations and the Red Crescent.

Alternatively they can go to any place of their own choice, including the Waar neighbourhood in the city of Homs.

A meeting will be held directly after the evacuation of the first batch

previously mentioned to assess the basic needs that will be sent to the Old City according to the estimations of the Relief Sub‐commission, your teamwork and the Syrian Red Crescent.

We confirm that this procedure will take place under collaborative supervision of Homs province authorities, United Nation representatives and the Red Cross, and they will be protected in all the areas that are under the control of the Arab Syrian Army and the specialized authorities.

Arms holders could benefit from this humanitarian procedure to vacate the Old City neighbourhoods, and they will be dealt with according to the governmental procedures to resolve their situation with the specialized authorities benefiting from the presidential pardons and the issued instructions in this regard.

With regards to the wounded and people with special needs, they will be transported to the hospitals collaboratively with the Red Crescent and they will be provided with all required care.

They can also benefit from the rights mentioned in the previous paragraph to resolve their situations according to the agreed basis.

It is understandable and agreed that the execution of the previous paragraphs ‘4‐5’ will take place after receiving lists of the names of people who are willing to benefit from this procedure.

They should be formerly informed of the ways that their (legal) situation will be resolved.

They will have the choice then to vacate the Old City or stay there.

Homs Hudna Agreement

Local agreement properties

Local issues

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