Agreement in East Ghouta and Jubar between the Free Syrian Army (FSA) and Russia

  • Country/entity
    Syria
  • Region
    Middle East and North Africa
  • Agreement name
    Agreement in East Ghouta and Jubar between the Free Syrian Army (FSA) and Russia
  • Date
    16 Aug 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
    Free Syrian Army in Jubar and East Ghouta, represented by Faylaq al-Rahman [Signed by President of the Political Bureau of the Free Syrian Army in Jubar and East Ghouta, [Illegible]]
  • Third parties
    Representative of the Russian Guarantor, [Illegible]
  • Description
    Agreement guaranteed by Russia between the Free Syrian Army/Faylaq al-Rahman Corps and the Syrian Regime providing for a ceasefire; prohibition of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, Islamic State or Jabhat al-Nusra fighters in FSA areas; access to humanitarian aid and goods through various checkpoints; that the area is ruled by a command council, that Russian forces will be a control force and that a committee will be created to release those imprisoned.

Local agreement properties

  • Process type
    Formal structured process
  • Rationale
    -> Link to national level; external support mechanism; culture of signing A regional mechanism supported the negotiation of the agreement that came as the result of three-day negotiation held in Geneva. Moreover, Russia – one of the signing parties – has quickly assumed a central role in the negotiations between Bashar al-Assad government and the opposition factions, aiming at bringing a definitive end to the Syrian conflict.
  • Is there a documented link to a national peace process?
    T
  • Link to national process: articulated rationale
    It seems difficult to link the agreement to the national peace process, which is not mentioned in the text of the agreement. On the one hand, Russia aims to foster negotiation between al-Assad government and opposition factions to stabilise the country and reach definite peace. On the other side, in the agreement, the Free Syrian Army reaffirms its devotion to the revolution “until the realisation of a free and noble Syria”, which implies that Bashar al-Assad must leave step down.
  • Name of Locale
    al-Jobeh [Jobar], Eastern Ghouta
  • Nature Of Locale
    Region
  • GPS Lat/Long (DD)
    33.928364, 36.496495
  • Participant type
    Central state actor
    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
    The agreement addresses the grievances that arose from the clashes between the Free Syrian Army and Syrian government forces in Jubar and East Ghouta. Such grievances include 1) the targeting of diplomatic missions in the ground by the Free Syrian Army, especially the Russian embassy in Damascus; 2) the presence of Salafi-jihadi groups in those areas such as Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and Daesh; 3) the humanitarian situation in the contested areas.
  • Cattle rustling/banditry

    No specific mention.

  • Social cover

    No specific mention.

Agreement

Regarding the Steps to Find a Comprehensive Solution to the Syrian Issue by Peaceful Means in the Area of Decreased Escalation which includes all of Jubar and East Ghouta

The Free Syrian Army in Jubar and East Ghouta, represented by Faylaq al-Rahman - referred to as side one in this agreement - and the Russian Federation, as one of the guarantor countries for the operation of stability - referred to as side two for the purpose of this agreement - agree to respect the principle of sovereignty of the Syrian Arab Republic, the unity of its lands and its regional peace. [

They also respect] the necessity to end hostilities within a comprehensive solution in Syria based on the related international resolutions, especially the Geneva Declaration, Resolutions 2118 and 2254 of the Security Council, the Ankara Agreement for Ceasefire dated 29/12/2016 and the Agreement of Areas of Decreased Escalation.

They agree to the shared will of the Free Syrian Army in Jubar and East Ghouta, represented by Faylaq al-Rahman and the Russian Federation, to continue the agreement.

The following is agreed upon:

1-The preamble of this agreement is recognised as an integral part of this agreement.

2-The two sides commit to a ceasefire and to join the state of cessation of hostilities.

They also welcome the creation of an area of decreased escalation, including Jubar and East Ghouta, where the borders of the area of decreased escalation are identified and lined out on a map reflecting reality and the land rights of the two conflicting fronts on the day of the agreement.

3-The two fronts of the conflict pledge to stop all hostile operations towards each other, starting from 08/08/2017 at 21.00 exactly, Damascus time.

The two sides also guarantee that the two sides will immediately end the use of all types of weapons, including aerial, rocket, artillery and mortar shells attacks in addition to light weapons.

The Free Syrian Army in Jubar and East Ghouta, represented by Faylaq al-Rahman and based on its principles, take all the necessary measures to prevent the targeting of all diplomatic missions on the grounds they control in Jubar and Ghouta, including the Russian Embassy in Damascus.

4-Starting from the beginning of the enforcement of the ceasefire, separation lines will be drawn between the two conflicting fronts on a map reflecting reality and the land rights of the two conflicting fronts at the time of the signature of the agreement.

5-The first side in this agreement commits to prohibit members of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (earlier referred to as Jabhat al-Nusra) in the areas they control in the area of decreased escalation.

It also stresses its stance on disapproving of and fighting the organisation Daesh [ISIL] and Nusra and their extremist ideology in any area they control.

In the case of members of Jabhat al-Nusra preparing to depart to Idlib with or without their families side two of this agreement guarantees safe passage.

6-The two sides commit to fully implement this agreement and to completely end all the military operations in the area of decreased escalation in Jubar and East Ghouta, including all aerial, rocket and artillery attacks.

Any transgression or violation of the provisions of this agreement is punishable, according to the attached mechanism for ceasefire signed in Ankara on 29/12/2016.

7-The two sides immediately take all necessary measures to improve the humanitarian situation in the area of decreased escalation.

In order to realise this goal, side two guarantees and facilitates the immediate entry of relief and medical convoys as well as other humanitarian needs through the two check points controlled by side one in ‘Ain Tarma and Harasta, which includes evacuation of patients to Syrian or Russian hospitals according to their will.

The signing of this agreement also allows for the entry of all the necessary materials for the reconstruction process based on requests by side one.

Representatives of the Russian Federation will undertake the inspection of convoys.

8-Side two commits to facilitate all civil, economic and business operations and activities and to allow the entry of a sufficient quantity of goods determined by side one to the area of decreased escalation without any additional or increased taxes or fees on the prices.

For the purpose of this agreement, goods refer to food, medicine, medical equipment, fuel, raw materials, building materials, all electronic and mechanic devices and equipment, in addition to everything that is considered necessary for filling civil needs.

9-The area of decreased escalation is managed by a command council responsible for all civil activities.

It is assigned with creating a national justice committee to peacefully solve all conflicts between the civilian population.

10-If agreed by the two sides and if there is an additional need, any items, archives, attachments or protocols may be approved in order to enforce the realisation of the rulings of this agreement and to clarify them.

11-Side one recognises the acceptance of the Russian Federation as a guarantor to implement this agreement.

It also accepts that this side establishes control forces for the cessation of hostilities.

These forces are based on the length of the front line between the two conflicting fronts, according to the attached map, as well as on other sites outside the area of decreased escalation.

12-When this agreement comes into force, a committee which represents the two sides as well as the Russian Federation as guarantor will be established in order to facilitate the immediate release of all detainees, abductees and forcefully displaced people from both sides. [

This will happen] within a period of one month.

13-This agreement is recognised as an introduction for creating a sound environment to implement the comprehensive political solution according to the international resolutions mentioned in the preamble above.

No other options to these are considered in any case.

14-The implementation of this agreement starts from the date of signature.

Signed in Geneva 16/08/2017 in two copies in the Arabic and Russian language.

The two copies possess the same legal force in the Arabic and Russian language.

President of the Political Bureau of the Free Syrian Army in Jubar and East Ghouta

[Illegible]

Representative of the Russian Guarantor

[Illegible]