Agreement between Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and Free Idlib Army on the issue of Col. Ali Al Samahi

  • Country/entity
    Syria
  • Region
    Middle East and North Africa
  • Agreement name
    Agreement between Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and Free Idlib Army on the issue of Col. Ali Al Samahi
  • Date
    6 Apr 2017
  • Agreement status
    Multiparty signed/agreed
  • Interim arrangement
    Yes
  • Agreement/conflict level
    Intrastate/local conflict ( Syrian Conflicts (1948 - ) (1976 - 2005) (2011 - ) )
  • Stage
    Framework/substantive - partial
  • Conflict nature
    Inter-group
  • Peace process
    Syrian Local Agreements
  • Parties
    Col. Tayseer al-Samahi for the Free Idlib Army [Signed]
    Abu al-Saad al-Suri for Hayat Tahrir al-Sham [Signed]
  • Third parties
    -
  • Description
    Agreement to form a sharia court and adjudicate on the killing of Col. Ali al-Samahi at the Khan al-Subul checkpoint. Also agrees to release detainees; handover of seized belongings, vehicles, etc. by both sides. Parties further agree to remove checkpoints and other 'manifestations' of tension and hand over wanted members from their groups.

Local agreement properties

  • Process type
    Informal but persistent process
  • Rationale
    -> Local issues only; no external support mechanism; no culture of signing This is the only written agreement referenced in the database between a Salafi-jihadi group and the nationalist Syrian group. Moreover, the agreement relates to specific issues that arose in a highly localised context. If one takes Idlib governorate as the unit of reference though, a series of agreements have been signed in the context of infighting between armed groups for control over territories, resources and populations.
  • 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. The agreement does not involve local governance actors, and the signing parties themselves are not official state representative.
  • Name of Locale
    Khan Al Subul checkpoint
  • Nature Of Locale
    Smaller
  • GPS Lat/Long (DD)
    35.748312, 36.753173
  • 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
    The agreement addresses the grievances that arose from the killing of Colonel Ali al Samahi - the chief of the Free Idlib Army - by the Headquarters for the Liberation of Al-Sham.
  • Cattle rustling/banditry

    No specific mention.

  • Social cover

    No specific mention.

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

We, the undersigned, are, from the first party, Col.

Tayseer Al Samahi, on behalf of the Free Idlib Army, and, from the second party, Abu Al Saad Al Suri on behalf of Hayat Tahrir Al Sham, have agreed to the following regarding the killing of Col.

Ali Al Samahi at the Khan Al Subul checkpoint:

1. Forming a Shariah court made up of Dr. Madhhar Al Wais, Sheikh Ahmad Alwan Ali, and the two parties shall agree on an independent reference in the case of a dispute within a period of at most a week from this date

2. Releasing the detainees being held by both sides

3. Handing over all of the person property, weapons, and vehicles taken by both sides to their owners

4. Removing checkpoints and stopping all of the manifestations of tensions by both sides

5. Both sides shall commit to handing over all wanted members from their groups for investigation

6. Both parties shall implement and accept the final ruling of the court

5/4/2017

Col. Tayseer Al Samahi

The Free Idlib Army

[Signed]

Abu Al Saad Al Suri

Hayat Tahrir Al Sham

[Signed]