Ceasefire between Ahrar al-Sham (AAS), al-Hamza Division, and Sultan Murad Division

  • Country/entity
    Syria
  • Region
    Middle East and North Africa
  • Agreement name
    Ceasefire between Ahrar al-Sham (AAS), al-Hamza Division, and Sultan Murad Division
  • Date
    13 Jun 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
    Inter-group
  • Peace process
    Syrian Local Agreements
  • Parties
    Signing on behalf of the First Party
    al-Sultan Murad - Abu Ahmad Fahim [signed]
    al-Hamza Division - Abu Bakr Saif [signed]

    Signing on behalf of the Second Party
    Ahrar al-Sham - Dr. Abu Bader & Captain Abu Hafs [signed]
  • Third parties
    -
  • Description
    Short agreement between Ahrar al-Sham, on the one hand, and Sultan Murad Division and al-Hamzah Division on the other, seeking to form a dispute resolution committee and use this as the avenue of negotiation on issues. Includes a ceasefire clause and a provision for an end to mobilisation of armed factions.

Local agreement properties

  • Process type
    Informal but persistent process
  • Rationale
    -> Local issues only; no external support mechanism; culture of signing There is no formally established mechanism to support the negotiation. Moreover, this agreement cannot be linked to the national peace process. Both groups 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?
    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
    Region
  • GPS Lat/Long (DD)
    36.370312, 37.516544
  • 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

    Page 1, All praises be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon his Prophet.
  • Grievance List
    Although the agreement does not mention any specific cause of the conflict, it addresses the grievances that arose from the military fight between Ahrar al-Sham and Sultan Murad/al-Hamzah Division.
  • Cattle rustling/banditry

    No specific mention.

  • Social cover

    No specific mention.

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

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

It was agreed between the two parties to the conflict to form a committee to review and deal with the issues of contention between them.

The task of this committee would be to follow up with the issues that have not been dealt with, return everyone’s rights, and agree on a judicial committee that shall hear these issues of contention.

A [illegible] committee will also be formed to return rights and implement the decisions that are made by the judicial committee.

It was also agreed that there would be a ceasefire and a pledge to stop mobilization by all sides against the other sides.

The Follow-Up Committee

First Party

1. Sultan Murad / Abu Sultan

2. The al-Hamzah Division / Abu Jaber

3. al-Salman Shah / Malik Abu Sarj

4. Suqoor al-Jabal / Deebo

5. Military [illegible] / Ibrahim Al Bab

Second Party

1. Ahrar al-Sham Movement

2. The Leader, Dr. Abu Bader

3. Military Leader / Capt.

Abu Hafs

4. Abu Ali [illegible]

The Standing Committee

1. Abu Ahmad Safwah

2. Major Abu Thaer

3. Abu Al Waleed / al-Fawj

Signing on behalf of the First Party

al-Sultan Murad - Abu Ahmad Fahim [signed]

al-Hamza Division - Abu Bakr Saif [signed]

Signing on behalf of the Second Party

Ahrar al-Sham - Dr. Abu Bader &Captain Abu Hafs [signed]

The Standing Committee

[no signatories]