Field Agreement between the Free Syrian Army (FSA) and People’s Defence Units (YPG) in the city of Ras al-Ain (Serê Kaniyê)

Country/entity
Syria
Region
Middle East and North Africa
Agreement name
Field Agreement between the Free Syrian Army (FSA) and People’s Defence Units (YPG) in the city of Ras al-Ain (Serê Kaniyê)
Date
18 Feb 2013
Agreement status
Multiparty signed/agreed
Interim arrangement
Yes
Agreement/conflict level
Intrastate/local conflict
Stage
Framework/substantive - comprehensive
Conflict nature
Inter-group
Peace process
Syrian Local Agreements
Parties
The Free Syrian Army (FSA);
People's Defence Units (YPG)
Third parties
-
Description
Coordination agreement between the Free Syrian Army and the People's Defence Units in Ras al-Ain. Agreement provides for a military withdrawal, the non-interference in the city council by armed units, joint-checkpoints between FSA/YPG forces until the city can take over, to secure access and mobility in the city, further cooperation between the YPG and FSA to liberate regime-held cities, end hostile media between the two groups.

Local agreement properties

Process type
Informal but persistent process
Rationale
-> Local issues only; no external support mechanism; culture of signing There is no formally established mechanism to support the negotiation between the signing parties. Moreover, this agreement cannot be linked to the national peace process. Indeed, both groups oppose the rule of Bashar al-Assad in Syria and reject the idea of a national negotiation to solve the conflict. Yet, it seems that both signing parties choose to solve daily pragmatic issues related to their armed struggle through agreements. Although one cannot speak of a “culture” of singing peace agreements, the parties are involved (in a non-proactive and non-conscious way) in a persistent practice of signing local agreements.
Is there a documented link to a national peace process?
No
Link to national process: articulated rationale
No link to the national peace process in Syria is mentioned in the agreement, neither it can be inferred from further research. First, the agreement does not involve local governance actors; and the signing parties themselves are not official state representative. Second, all parties to the agreement reject the national peace process, as it would maintain Bashar al-Assad and the Syrian government in power. The agreement is signed "in order to unite all people in the battle of dignity against the bloody authoritarian regime in order to build a free Syria".
Name of Locale
Ras al‐Ain
Nature of Locale
City
GPS Lat/Long (DD)
36.850124, 40.070573
Participant type
Local armed group
Mediator, facilitator or similar
No mention of mediator or similar

Local issues

Ritual/prayer and process (including use of scripture)

No specific mention.

Grievance List
Page 1,
Based on our belief in the unity of a free Syrian land and people, and motivated by the commitment to the principles of peaceful coexistence between all components of the Syrian people and rejection of all sectarian, ethnic, chauvinistic and exclusionary approaches. And in order to unite all people in the battle of dignity against the bloody authoritarian regime in order to build a free Syria where all components enjoy their legitimate rights under the banner of ‘Syria for All Syrians’ to be a country that can genuinely express the authenticity and the civilization of the coexistence. For all of this, the parties meeting in Ras Al Ain agreed to resolve all the arising conflicts and disagreements according to the following principles:
Cattle rustling/banditry

No specific mention.

Social cover

No specific mention.

Source agreement

Field agreement between the Free Syrian Army and People’s Defence Units (YPG) in the city of Ras Al‐Ain

Based on our belief in the unity of a free Syrian land and people, and motivated by the commitment to the principles of peaceful coexistence between all components of the Syrian people and rejection of all sectarian, ethnic, chauvinistic and exclusionary approaches.

And in order to unite all people in the battle of dignity against the bloody authoritarian regime in order to build a free Syria where all components enjoy their legitimate rights under the banner of ‘Syria for All Syrians’ to be a country that can genuinely express the authenticity and the civilization of the coexistence.

For all of this, the parties meeting in Ras Al Ain agreed to resolve all the arising conflicts and disagreements according to the following principles:

1‐ Redeployment of military forces and the complete removal of armed manifestations from the town.

2‐ To establish a temporary monitoring and follow‐up committee agreed upon by both parties, in order to follow up and monitor the implementation of the terms of the agreement.

3‐ To establish by consensus a local civil council that represents the social components to manage all the civic affairs of the town.

4‐ The border checkpoint to be managed by the city council.

5‐ Local council represents the sovereign entity in the city, The intervention of military forces in the affairs of the local council is completely prohibited.

6‐ To establish common checkpoints between the YPG and the Free Syrian Army at the entrances to the city of Ras al‐Ain, until the City Council takes over when it is able to.

7‐ To facilitate and secure the passage of people, goods and forces of each party across the checkpoints of the other party.

8‐ Cooperation and coordination between the Free Syrian Army and YPG to liberate cities that are still under the regime control.

9‐ Cities and towns where there is no existence of the regime:

Derbassiyeh, Amouda, Tel Tamer, Maabada and Al‐Malikihha are considered liberated cities and a should be declared so in a joint statement.

10‐ To end hostile media campaigns between the two parties.

11‐ The introduction part of this agreement is considered an essential term of the agreement.

Signatories

Free Syrian Army

People’s Defence Units (YPG)