Agreement between Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and Ahrar al-Sham (AAS), Badia, Idlib

  • Country/entity
    Syria
  • Region
    Middle East and North Africa
  • Agreement name
    Agreement between Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and Ahrar al-Sham (AAS), Badia, Idlib
  • Date
    19 Jul 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
    Ahrar al-Sham
    Hayat Tahrir al-Sham
  • Third parties
    Third signatory unknown.
  • Description
    5 point agreement that the commander of HTS Badia sector will hand over authority to his deputy without further harm to him. That all HTS detainees are released by Ahrar al-Sham; That all headquarters and weapons remain in current possession and that the front is provided further weaponry; that the Badia sector will not enter ongoing combat (in sector); that Ahrar al-Sham fighters are not harassed due to past actions, unless belligerent or if there is a case against the person. In the latter case, photos must be provided by a Badia sector official.

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 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?
    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. Yet, the agreement is related to multiple local level processes in Idlib governorate in July 2017.
  • Name of Locale
    Idlib
  • Nature Of Locale
    Region
  • GPS Lat/Long (DD)
    36.084343, 36.501904
  • 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 God, the Beneficent, the Merciful
  • Grievance List
    The agreement addresses the grievances that arose from the confrontation between two armed groups who fought for the control of Badia area.
  • Cattle rustling/banditry

    No specific mention.

  • Social cover

    No specific mention.

In the name of God, the Beneficent, the Merciful

[See original document for Preamble]

The parties agree that:

1. Sheikh Abu Al-Baraa Mu'ammar Shamarin will step down from the leadership of the [Badia] sector and hand it over to his deputy, the follow-up and control officer and military officer of the sector, and no harassment [attack] on the Sheikh shall take place.

2. The immediate release of all Hayat Tahrir al-Sham detainees and the followers of al-Badia sector by Ahrar al-Sham.

3. To maintain headquarters and weapons in the sector to manage the sector and its officials [and] to provide weapons to the fronts on demand.

4. The sector will not enter into ongoing fighting.

5. No harassment [attack] towards any of our Ahrar al-Sham brothers because of their [past] actions in ongoing fights, unless he returns and starts to fight or there is a legal case against him. [

In this case] the sector official [should be] asked [to provide] photographs.

[Three signatories, two parties]

 Ahrar al-Sham

 Hayat Tahrir al-Sham