• Country/entity

  Syria
  

• Region

  Middle East and North Africa
  

• Agreement name

  Unnamed [Statement on Ceasefire between Ahrar al-Sham (AAS) and Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) in Bab al-Hawa]

• Date

  21 Jul 2017

• Agreement status

  Unilateral document

• 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

  Movement of Ahrar al-Sham al-Islamiyya;
  Harikat Tahrir al-Sham (Muhammad Abu Zaid);

• Third parties

  -

• Description

  Statement issued by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham as part of a choreography of statements negotiating a ceasefire between HTS and Ahrar al-Sham al-Islamiyya in Idlib, Syria. Choreography appears to begin around the 15 July 2017 regarding a checkpoint at al-Alawin. This particular statement is related to the Initiative to Stop the Ongoing Fighting between HTS and Ahrar al-Sham, issued on 19 July 2017.

• Agreement document

  SY_170721_Statement on Ceasefire between Ahrar al-Sham Hayat Tahrir al-Sham_EN.pdf | Download PDF

• Agreement document (original language)

  SY_170721_Statement on Ceasefire between Ahrar al-Sham Hayat Tahrir al-Sham_AR.pdf | Download PDF

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. Yet, the agreement is related to multiple local level processes in Idlib governorate in July 2017.

• Name of Locale

  Bab al-Hawi

• Nature Of Locale

  Smaller

• GPS Lat/Long (DD)

  36.230907, 36.692617

• Participant type

  Local armed group
  

• Mediator, facilitator or similar

  Mediator or similar referred to

  Mediator (references)

  The initiative of the mediation was launched by three clerics: Sheikh Abu Mohammed al-Sadiq, Sheikh Abdul Razzaq al-Mahdi, and Sheikh Abu Hamza al-Masri.

  Type of mediator/facilitator/similar

  Domestic religious organisation/leader or other elder

Local issues

In the name of Allah, the beneficent, the merciful

Unnamed [Statement on Ceasefire between Ahrar al-Sham Hayat Tahrir al-Sham]

It was agreed between the brothers from the Movement of Ahrar al-Sham al-Islamiyya and Harikat Tahrir al-Sham on a ceasefire, the release of detainees by both parties, the departure of factions from the Bab al-Hawi crossing and its transferal to civilian administration.

Official Spokesman, Muhammad Abu Zaid Friday 27 Shuwal h1438

21.07.2017