Untitled Agreement [between Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant and Northern Storm Brigade]

  • Country/entity
    Syria
  • Region
    Middle East and North Africa
  • Agreement name
    Untitled Agreement [between Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant and Northern Storm Brigade]
  • Date
    19 Sep 2013
  • 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
    Capt Ahmad Ghazalah [Signed] Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIS; ISIL);
    Abu Abdulrahman al-Kuwaiti [Signed] Northern Storm Front
  • Third parties
    Witnesses:
    Abu Tawfiq [signed] (Al-Tawhid Brigade)
    Abu Ibrahim al-Shishani (ISIS)

    [Note] a brigade is specified to operate as the barrier between the two parties, but the name is illegible.
  • Description
    Short ceasefire between ISIS and Northern Storm Brigade

Local agreement properties

  • Process type
    Isolated example
  • Rationale
    -> Local issues only; external support mechanism; no culture of signing It is unclear whether a formally-established mechanism supported the negotiation - two witnesses were present. 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. Finally, nothing supports the claim that the signing parties engaged in a culture of signing agreements in this locale. Tensions between the two groups increase only in September 2013, that is, 4 months after the agreement.
  • 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
    NA
  • Nature Of Locale
    City
  • GPS Lat/Long (DD)
    36.586775, 37.046692
  • 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, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
  • Grievance List
    Although the agreement does not refer to specific causes of the conflict, it lists five provisions to address local grievances.

    Page 1,
    1. Implementing an immediate ceasefire
    2. Releasing all detainees who were detained because of the problems within 24 hours from
    the date of the agreement
    3. Returning all of the property taken by both sides
    4. The [ILLEGIBLE] Brigade shall be a barrier between the two sides until the problem in Aghraz
    ends.
    5. The reference for any dispute between them will be a Shariah Board [illegible1] of both sides.
  • Cattle rustling/banditry

    No specific mention.

  • Social cover

    No specific mention.

Untitled Agreement [between Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant and Northern Storm Brigade]

20 April 2013

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

All praises be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon his Prophet

This is what was agreed upon between the two sides:

First:

The Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant

Second:

Northern Storm Brigade

Agreement:

Implementing an immediate ceasefire

Releasing all detainees who were detained because of the problems within 24 hours from the date of the agreement

Returning all of the property taken by both sides

The [ILLEGIBLE] Brigade shall be a barrier between the two sides until the problem in Aghraz ends.

The reference for any dispute between them will be a Shariah Board [illegible] of both sides.

First Party:

Abu Abdulrahman Al Kuwaiti

[Signed]

Second Party:

Capt.

Ahmad Ghazalah

[Signed]

First Witness:

Abu Tawfiq – Al Tawhid Brigade

[Signed]

Second Witness:

Abu Ibrahim Al Shishani

[Signed]

Most likely:

‘consisting’