Agreement between Ahrar al-Sham (AAS) and Jabhat Fatah al-Sham (JFS) signed by al-Jawlani and al-Hamawi

  • Country/entity
    Syria
  • Region
    Middle East and North Africa
  • Agreement name
    Agreement between Ahrar al-Sham (AAS) and Jabhat Fatah al-Sham (JFS) signed by al-Jawlani and al-Hamawi
  • Date
    10 Oct 2016
  • 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
    Deputy General Commander, Ahrar al-Sham, al-Hamawi;
    Official from Jabhat Fatah al-Sham, Abu Sa’ad al-Jawlani
  • Third parties
    -
  • Description
    Ceasefire agreement providing for the opening of roads, release of prisoners, the absorbtion of Jund al-Aqsa into Jabhat al-Fatah al-Sham; the trial of individuals affiliated with the Syrian regime, Islamic State, and those accused of the murder of Abu Munir Badub, as well as the selection of judges for the court.

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 Salafi armed groups. Moreover, this agreement cannot be linked to the national peace process. Indeed, both groups have a Salafist ideology; they 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.
  • Name of Locale
    Sarmin
  • Nature Of Locale
    City
  • GPS Lat/Long (DD)
    35.904907, 36.726826
  • 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)
    Page 1, In the name of Allah, the beneficent, the merciful
  • Grievance List
    Although the agreement does not refer to specific causes of the conflict, it lists three provisions to address local grievances, including an immediate ceasefire, the trial of detainees accused of murder and suspected of being connected with the Islamic State, and the merge between Jund al-Aqsa' and Jabat Fatah al-Sham.
  • Cattle rustling/banditry

    No specific mention.

  • Social cover
    [Summary] Detainees accused of murder and suspected of being connected with the Islamic State will be brought to an ad hoc court.

Agreement between Ahrar al-Sham and Jabhat Fatah al-Sham

10 October 2016

In the name of Allah, the beneficent, the merciful

1. All parties agree to an immediate ceasefire and all roads, previously closed, will be opened.

2. All detainees will be released in less than 24 hours, except those accused of being connected with the Khawarij [Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS)] who will be placed before the court [detailed in the next point].

3. A court will be created consisting of two judges from Jabhat Fatah al-Sham (JFS), two judges from Ahrar al-Sham, and one independent [judge], the names of whom have already been agreed upon.

The court will judge those accused of murder, specifically the killing of Abu Munir Dabus (Allah have Mercy on his Soul) and the event in Kafersajnah [Idlib], or those accused of being connected to ISIS, or other accusations.

The court will assemble in less than 24 hours.

Both JFS and Ahrar al-Sham vow to bring anyone that the court demands.

4. Jund al-Aqsa’s pledge of allegiance to the JFS marks its complete disbandment and absorption into JFS, this means that the JFS will cease to exist in any form or name now and in the future.

5. In Sarmin [Idlib], everything will return to the way it was, and the JFS will manage Jund al- Aqsa’s checkpoints, in addition to other locations by agreement between the two parties.

Note:

The gathered forces will only retreat when the aforementioned court announces that it has effectively begun its duties.

Signed by:

Deputy General Commander, Ahrar al-Sham, al-Hamawi

Official from Jabhat Fatah al-Sham, Abu Sa’ad al-Jawlani