Agreement between Ahrar al-Sham, Desert Sector (AAS), and Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, Northern Desert Sector (HTS), on Tel Touqan.
Export agreement:
Country/entity
SyriaRegion
Middle East and North AfricaAgreement name
Agreement between Ahrar al-Sham, Desert Sector (AAS), and Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, Northern Desert Sector (HTS), on Tel Touqan.Date
14 Jul 2017Agreement status
Multiparty signed/agreedInterim arrangement
YesAgreement/conflict level
Intrastate/local conflict ()Stage
Pre-negotiation/processConflict nature
Inter-groupPeace process
Syrian Local AgreementsParties
[Illegible] al-Hashimi [signature]
Al-Sheikh Walid al-Sulayman [signature]
Representing Ahrar al-Sham (Desert Sector) and Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (Northern Desert Sector) (HTS)Third parties
-Description
4-point confidence building measures agreement aiming to resolve tensions between HTS and Ahrar al-Sham around Tel Touqan village (30km east of Idlib). Agreement provides for the release of detainees; removal of checkpoints and opening of roads; referring the cause of Tel Touqan to the Sharia Committee and agreement on the earlier ruling on Tel Touqan.
Agreement document
Agreement document (original language)
Local agreement properties
Process type
Informal but persistent processRationale
-> 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?
NoLink 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
Tal TouqanNature Of Locale
CityGPS Lat/Long (DD)
35.829063, 36.959018Participant type
Local armed groupMediator, 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 God, most Gracious, most Compassionate
Praise be to God and prayers and peace be upon the Messenger of Allah and on his family and his companions and those who follow him.
Page 1, God bless. - Grievance ListThe agreement addresses the grievances of two Salafi-jihadi groups that lost a number of men during clashes for the control of Tel Touqan in Idlib governorate. Although the agreement does not refer to specific causes of the conflict, it lists four provisions to address local grievances.
Page 1,
The release of detainees from both sides.
Removal of armed checkpoints and lookouts, and the opening of roads.
To refer the Tal Touqan1 case to the Sharia Committee.
Agreed upon the previous Tal Touqan issue. - Cattle rustling/banditry
No specific mention.
- Social cover
No specific mention.
In the name of God, most Gracious, most Compassionate
Praise be to God and prayers and peace be upon the Messenger of Allah and on his family and his companions and those who follow him.
There was an agreement between the two [sides].
Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham Northern Desert Sector
Ahrar al-Sham Desert Sector
The release of detainees from both sides.
Removal of armed checkpoints and lookouts, and the opening of roads.
To refer the Tal Touqan1 case to the Sharia Committee.
Agreed upon the previous Tal Touqan issue.
God bless.
[Illegible] al-Hashimi Al-Sheikh Walid al-Sulayman
[signature] [signature]