Agreement between Tahrir al-Sham and Sarmin Shura Council on the raid on the outskirts in the city

  • Country/entity
    Syria
  • Region
    Middle East and North Africa
  • Agreement name
    Agreement between Tahrir al-Sham and Sarmin Shura Council on the raid on the outskirts in the city
  • Date
    29 Jun 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
    Hayʼat Tahrīr al-Shām Sa’ad al-Din al-Sabah [Signature] [Stamp]
    Sarmin Shura Council Abu Abdo [Signature]
  • Third parties
    Witness Delegate of Ansār al-Tawhīd Hamza [Signature]
  • Description
    Seven point agreement between a local council and military official from Salafi-Jihadi group Tahrir al-Sham that has a presence in the village. The agreement provides for (1) sparing the villages from combat after 48 hours; (2) joint security of the village and its surrounding to face the Islamic State; (3) Local representatives keep control over city administration; (4) forming a local committee to decide on all issues between the locals and armed group.

Local agreement properties

  • Process type
    Isolated example
  • Rationale
    -> Local issues only; no external support mechanism; no culture of signing (ad hoc) The document is a once-off declaration that relates to a specific and localised series of clashes and its consequences. It does not appear that any national or regional mechanism was established to support the negotiation. Finally, the declaration does not seem to relate to a persistent practice or culture of signing agreements in the area of Sarmin. Multiple agreements have been signed in the governorate of Idlib - where Sarmin is - but not between those parties.
  • Is there a documented link to a national peace process?
    No
  • Link to national process: articulated rationale
    The agreement appears independent from the national process but involves local governance actors representing civilian constituencies of Sarmin. Considering the fighters under village control, which include factions of Salafi-Jihadi group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and witness Ansar al-Tahwid, they are not official 'state' representatives.
  • Name of Locale
    Sarmin
  • Nature Of Locale
    City
  • GPS Lat/Long (DD)
    35.903609, 36.726565
  • Participant type
    Local state actor
    Local armed group
  • Mediator, facilitator or similar
    Mediator or similar referred to
    Mediator (references)
    NA
    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 does not refer to specific causes of the conflict. It seems that the control of Sarmin by an opposition Salafi-Jihadi group is the main bone of contention, in addition to the threat of Islamic State organization's fighters in the outskirt of the village.
  • Cattle rustling/banditry

    No specific mention.

  • Social cover

    No specific mention.

In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful 29/06/2018

This is what was agreed upon by Hayʼat Tahrīr al-Shām [Organization for the Liberation of the Levant] and the people of Sarmin

- Forming a joint executive force from Hayʼat Tahrīr al-Shām and the people of the city of Sarmin to supervise the raiding of the specific targets on the State Organization [ISIS] and the suspect ones in the city of Sarmin.

- The security campaign inside the city of Sarmin to end in 48 hours.

- The Sarmin city administration remains to the people of Sarmin after the [military] campaign.

- Hayʼat Tahrīr al-Shām is responsible for securing the Saraqib-Idlib Highway

- The people of Sarmin are responsible for securing their city

- Forming a legal committee that is acceptable to both parties, which will decide on all issues between the Hayʼat and the people of Sarmin.

- In the event that a target affiliated to the State Organization [ISIS] is proven inside the city of Sarmin, he will be dealt with in coordination between Hayʼat Tahrīr al-Shām and the people of the city of Sarmin after the campaign

Hayʼat Tahrīr al-Shām Witness Sarmin Shura Council

Sa’ad al-Din al-Sabah Delegate of Ansār al-Tawhīd Abu Abdo

[Signature] Hamza

[Stamp] [Signature] [Signature]

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