Instrument of Agreement (between Jaysh al-Thawra and the Marea Operations Room, Aleppo)

• Country/entity

  Syria
  
• Region

  Middle East and North Africa
  
• Agreement name

  Instrument of Agreement (between Jaysh al-Thawra and the Marea Operations Room, Aleppo)
• Date

  18 Dec 2015
• Agreement status

  Multiparty signed/agreed
• Interim arrangement

  Yes
• Agreement/conflict level

  Intrastate/local conflict ( Syrian Conflicts (1948 - ) (1976 - 2005) (2011 - ) )
• Stage

  Ceasefire/related
• Conflict nature

  Inter-group
• Peace process

  Syrian Local Agreements
• Parties

  Jaysh al-Thawra [illegible]
  Command of Marea [Operations] Room [illegible]
• Third parties

  -
• Description

  Agreement is a response to local initiative; Initiative of the Shura and Reconciliation Council in Aleppo. 5-point agreement provides for (1) the entrance of Jaysh al-Thawra into Marea Operations room; (2) Jaysh al-Thawra's approval of Marea's command; (3) that Jaysh al-Thawra will remain at their current location until it is secure from the Syrian regime or ISIS; (4) de-militarisation of specified areas apart from a police force; (5) release of detainees by all parties. Although it has no explicit ceasefire clause, the agreement aimed to end fighting between Jaysh al-Thawra (under the Syrian Democratic Forces) and Marea Operations Room. The agreement was broken in Janaury 2016 when SDF took Malkiyya Village on the Aleppo-Azaz road.

• Agreement document

  SY_151218_Ceasefire between FSA Marea and Jaysh al-Thawrah_EN.pdf | Download PDF
• Agreement document (original language)

  SY_151218_Ceasefire between FSA Marea and Jaysh al-Thawrah_AR.pdf | Download PDF

Local agreement properties

• Process type

  Informal but persistent process
  
• Rationale

  -> Link to national level; no external support mechanism; culture of signing There is no formally established mechanism to support the negotiation between Salafi armed groups. 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 the conflicts related to their armed struggle through agreements (see references). 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 a "In response to the initiative of the Shura and Reconciliation Council in Aleppo [made] by the two sides."
• Name of Locale

  Aleppo (province)
• Nature Of Locale

  Region
• GPS Lat/Long (DD)

  36.510338, 36.870017
• Participant type

  Local armed group
  
• Mediator, facilitator or similar

  No mention of mediator or similar

Local issues

Instrument of Agreement (between The Revolutionary Army and the Marea Operations Room, Aleppo)

In response to the initiative of the Shura and Reconciliation Council in Aleppo [made] by the two sides, the following points were agreed:

1. Jaysh al-Thawar will enter into the machinery of the Marea Operations Room which will determine the timeframe, location, gear and number according to requirements at that stage.

2. Jaysh al-Thawar approves the leadership of the [Marea Operations] Room with supervision and follow-up, and accountability.

3. Members of Jaysh al-Thawar will remain in their headquarters until its premises and fronts are secured from [Syrian] regime and daesh [the Islamic State] with support from the [Operations] Room.

4. The following areas (Anab, Maryamayn, Shuwarigha al-Juzan) will be free of any armed presence except for a police station run by a free police [force].

5. Both parties will release all detainees.

God bless

Jaysh al-Thawra [illegible]

Command of Marea [Operations] Room [illegible]