Agreement between Tahrir al-Sham and the Syrian Liberation Front to de-escalate military presence in the towns of Hama and Idlib provinces

  • Country/entity
    Syria
  • Region
    Middle East and North Africa
  • Agreement name
    Agreement between Tahrir al-Sham and the Syrian Liberation Front to de-escalate military presence in the towns of Hama and Idlib provinces
  • Date
    28 Feb 2018
  • 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
    From Hayʼat Tahrīr al-Shām Abu Mahood Khatab [signature]
    From Jabhat Tahrīr Suria Abu al-Yaman Turk [signature]
  • Third parties
    Guarantor Major Jamil al-Salih [signature]
  • Description
    Five-point agreement providing for the neutralization of fighting between Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and Jabhat Tahrir Suriyya. It is restricted to those engaged in fighting and provides that Hayat Tahrir al-Sham cannot open HQs in the mentioned areas or interfere in the affairs of the city. In return, Jabhat Tahrir Suriyya will not attack HTS HQ from factions that have stayed away from fighting.

Local agreement properties

  • Process type
    Informal but persistent process
  • Rationale
    -> Local issues only; no external support mechanism; culture of signing No formally established mechanism supported the negotiation between the signing parties. 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 (especially Hayat Tahrir al-Sham) 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. The agreement is related to multiple local level processes in Idlib and Hama governorates in early 2018. A very similar agreement was signed between the two same parties the day before in nearby Sheikh Mustafa.
  • 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. Finally, the agreement should be understood in the context of an “intra-religious insurgent groups” conflict where several factions that all oppose Bashar al-Assad engaged in fighting and took some distance from their initial raison d’être in the context of the Syrian civil war.
  • Name of Locale
    Sheikh Mustafa, Kafr Sijnah, Al-Rakaya, Madaaya, Al-Amariah, Muwaqah, Kifrin, Haysh, Tathaya, Khan Sheikhoun, Mork, Kafrzita, and Al-Tamanah
  • Nature Of Locale
    Region
  • GPS Lat/Long (DD)
    35.449763, 36.588550
  • Participant type
    Local armed group
  • Mediator, facilitator or similar
    Mediator or similar referred to
    Mediator (references)
    The agreement was signed with the guarantee of a military leader affiliated with the Free Syrian Army.
    Type of mediator/facilitator/similar
    Local armed group

Local issues

  • Ritual/prayer and process (including use of scripture)
    Page 1, In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful
  • Grievance List
    The agreement addresses the consequences and grievances that arose from a series of clashes between the signing parties in Hama and Idlib governorates.
  • Cattle rustling/banditry

    No specific mention.

  • Social cover

    No specific mention.

In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful 28/02/18

This is what was agreed upon between the two parties

Between Jabhat Tahrīr Suria and Hayʼat Taḥrīr al-Shām in the following areas:

Sheikh Mustafa, Kafr Sijnah, Al-Rakaya, Madaaya, Al-Amariah, Muwaqah, Kifrin, Haysh, Tathaya, Khan Sheikhoun, Mork, Kafrzita, and Al-Tamanah

1 - He who remains inside his home is safe

2- This agreement does not include those who do not engage in fighting, unless it is proven otherwise.

3- Hayʼat Taḥrīr al-Shām is committed to not interfere in civil affairs in the aforementioned areas

4 - It is forbidden to open any headquarters for them " Hayʼat Taḥrīr al-Shām" in the aforementioned areas

5- Jabhat Taḥrīr Suria pledges not to attack any headquarters of Hayʼat Taḥrīr al-Shām that has been neutralized in the fight

From Hayʼat Tahrīr al-Shām From Jabhat Tahrīr Suria

Abu Mahood Khatab Abu al-Yaman Turk

[signature] [signature]

Guarantor

Major Jamil al-Salih

[signature]