Agreement between al-Nusra Front and Harakat Hazm, Aleppo

  • Country/entity
    Syria
  • Region
    Middle East and North Africa
  • Agreement name
    Agreement between al-Nusra Front and Harakat Hazm, Aleppo
  • Date
    28 Oct 2014
  • 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
    Signed by Abu Hafs al-Baghdadi and Ahmad Diri representing the Aleppo factions of Jabhat al-Nusra and Harakat Hazm, respectively.
  • Third parties
    Witnesses:
    Sheikh Farouq [signed] [affiliation unclear];
    Sheikh Abu Bakri[signed] [affiliation unclear];
    Colonel Abu Ahmad Mahitah [signed] [affiliation unclear]
    Islamic Front
    Army of the Mujahideen
    Ansar al-Din Front
    Abu Amara Brigades
    Nur al-Din al-Zanki Movement
    The Military Council
    The Local Council of the City of Aleppo
  • Description
    Agreement delineating the territories of the two conflict parties in Aleppo City. Agreement has unique enforcement mechanism.

Local agreement properties

  • Process type
    Isolated example
  • Rationale
    -> Local issues only; external support mechanism; no culture of signing A formally-established mechanism apparently supported the negotiation between the two parties as several witnesses signed the agreement. Although tensions pre-existed the agreement in the same locale, no further information supports the case of a "culture" of signing agreements or a recurrent peace process.
  • 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
    al-Jandool, Aleppo city
  • Nature Of Locale
    Smaller
  • GPS Lat/Long (DD)
    36.248760, 37.172783
  • Participant type
    Local state actor
    Local armed group
    Domestic religious organisation/leader or other elder
  • 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

    Page 1, Allah said: “And if two factions among the believers should fight, then make settlement between the two. But if one of them oppresses the other, then fight against the one that oppresses until it returns to the ordinance of Allah.”

    Page 1, May Allah support our endeavor
  • Grievance List
    Although the agreement does not refer to specific causes of the conflict, it lists five provisions to address local grievances. It seems that the confrontation between the al-Nusra Front and the Harakat Hazam in the province of Aleppo lies at the centre of the dispute. The issue of territorial control seems particularly important to the parties.
  • Cattle rustling/banditry

    No specific mention.

  • Social cover

    No specific mention.

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Allah said:

“And if two factions among the believers should fight, then make settlement between the two.

But if one of them oppresses the other, then fight against the one that oppresses until it returns to the ordinance of Allah.”

This is the agreement that was reached between:

Jabhat Al Nusrah in Aleppo City, represented by Abu Hafs Al Baghdadi

And Harakat Hazm in Aleppo City, represented by Ahmad Diri

The agreement:

Sparing Aleppo city from the fighting in the countryside and in the rest of the governorates

Demarcating the area for Jabhat Al Nusrah in Aleppo City to be the area from the Al Jandool Roundabout to the inside of the city and with orders that they do not attack Harakat Hazm

Demarcating the area for Harakat Hazm in Aleppo City to be the area from the Al Jandool Roundabout to the inside of the city and with orders that they do not attack Jabhat Al Nusrah

Both sides pledge to [control the discipline of their men] and to not withdraw from the gaps

In the case that the agreement is violated by any side, all of the groups shall stand against the violating group.

28/10/2014 May Allah support our endeavor

Abu Hafs Al Baghdadi

[Signed]

Ahmad Diri

[Signed]

Witnesses:

Sheikh Farouq

[illegible]

[Signed]

Sheikh Abu Bakri

[illegible]

[Signed]

Colonel Abu Ahmad Mahitah

[Signed]

[illegible]

unclear