Wadi Barada Agreement

• Country/entity

  Syria
  
• Region

  Middle East and North Africa
  
• Agreement name

  Wadi Barada Agreement
• Date

  6 Jan 2017
• 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

  Government
• Peace process

  Intra-Syrian Process (state/non-state)
• Parties

  Residents of Wadi Barada.
  Representative of the Syrian Government
• Third parties

  -
• Description

  Short 'surrender' type agreement between the residents of Wadi Barada and the Syrian Government of Bashir al-Asad. Agreement provides for: (1) the avoidance of conscription of military aged males for a 6-month period; (2) handover of medium and heavy weapons; (3) the evacuation of fighters not from Wadi Barada; (4) that the Syrian army will not enter homes but will set up checkpoints; (5) a return of locals to homes and jobs. Agreement does not contain an explicit cessation of hostilities clause, but this is implicated from the other areas of agreement.

• Agreement document

  SY_160106_Wadi Barada Agreement_EN.pdf | Download PDF
• Agreement document (original language)

  SY_160106_Wadi Barada Agreement_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 was no formally-established mechanism to support the negotiation. Reports point to the fact that the Syrian government and opposition delegations agreed on talks to achieve a ceasefire at Wadi Barada ever since the offensive was launched on 23 December 2016. This agreement is thus part of a series of peace-making efforts that resulted in the signing of several agreements. The fighting revolved around the water supply to Damascus, the capital and headquarters of the Syrian regime.
• Is there a documented link to a national peace process?

  Yes
• Link to national process: articulated rationale

  The agreement involves a central governance actor, a representative of the Syrian government. The agreement also mentions that the fighters can leave to Idlib where further fighting between the opposing parties then took place.
• Name of Locale

  Wadi Barada
• Nature Of Locale

  Region
• GPS Lat/Long (DD)

  33.615001, 36.181144
• Participant type

  Central state actor
  Local community/civilian group(s)/civil society organisations
  
• Mediator, facilitator or similar

  No mention of mediator or similar

Local issues

Wadi Barada Agreement

6 January 2016

1. For those men who avoided army conscription, there will be a 6-month grace period.

2. All medium, heavy and light weapons shall be handed over.

3. The agreement will appear at all security agencies to clarify status.

4. No fighters originally from outside of Wadi Barada may remain.

5. Fighters from outside Wadi Barada can keep their light weapons and move to Idlib.

6. Local fighters can also choose to move to Idlib.

7. The Syrian Army will not enter private homes.

8. The Syrian Army will enter Wadi Barada and set up checkpoints.

9. Those from Wadi Barada may return to their village.

10. Those with jobs may return to their jobs as employees.

Signed:

Residents of Wadi Barada.

Representative of the Syrian Government