Announcement of Factions on joining the suspension of Hostilities

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Country/entity: Syria
Region: Middle East and North Africa
Agreement name: Announcement of Factions on joining the suspension of Hostilities
Date: 8 Oct 2017
Agreement status: Multiparty signed/agreed
Interim arrangement: Yes
Agreement/conflict level: Intrastate/intrastate conflict
Syrian Conflicts (1948 - ) (1976 - 2005) (2011 - )
The agreements relate to three different conflict contexts. Israel-Syria and Syria-Lebanon. The Syrian-Israeli conflict was a key factor for the Syrian intervention during the Lebanese Civil War, with Syrian-backed Palestinian Liberation Army units intervened in 1976 against the Palestinian/Leftist militias. Following a massacre at Tel al-Zaatar that year, Syria was forced to accept a ceasefire at a meeting of the Arab League. However, the Arab League also mandated an Arab Deterrence Force, consisting of mostly Syrian soldiers with token contributions from other Arab League states, thus further legitimizing the Syrian presence in Lebanon. During a second bout of fighting that began in 1989, caused by the formation of rival Lebanese regimes in East and West Beirut, the Syrian-backed regime won and in 1991 the ‘Treaty of Brotherhood, Cooperation and Coordination’ was signed to legalize the Syrian occupation as a means to ensure the security of Syria. Syrian forces were forced to withdraw in 2005 following possible involvement in the assassination of Lebanon’s President Hariri.

Syria-internal. In 2011, domestic upheaval following a wave of protests across the Arab World soon led to violent repression of protestors by Syrian government troops. The violence progressed steadily and by July 2011 the Free Syrian Army (FSA) was formed consisting of defected military units and new recruits. The FSA and rebel umbrella group known as the Syrian National Council represented the first attempt at coordinating rebel factions in late 2011. However, a steady influx of foreign fighters and increased sectarianism radicalised opposition groups, which relied on foreign funding. The nature of the conflict changed drastically in late 2013 as infighting among the opposition groups increased. One of the more significant developments was the split between the al-Qaeda outfits the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, ISIS), and Jabhat al-Nusra in early 2014 in addition to the intensified targeting of other rebel factions by ISIS fighters in particular, including the Kurdish Peshmerga, the FSA and other jihadist outfits. Since the summer of 2014, the conflict was further internationalized when ISIS announced the formation of an Islamic state eroding the state line between Iraq and Syria and also in mid-2015 when Russian forces intervened on behalf of the Bashar al-Assad government in Damascus.
Stage: Ceasefire/related
Conflict nature: Government
Peace process: Intra-Syrian Process (state/non-state)
Parties: From factions of Jaysh al-Islam [Illegible] Mohammad ‘Alosh
From factions of Aknaf Bayt al-Muqadis [Illegible]
From factions of Jaysh al-Abadil [Illegible] Ahmad al-Jibawi

Representative of the Defence Ministry of the Republic of the Russian Federation [Illegible]
Third parties: The Arab Republic of Egypt
Description: Agreement calls for a ceasefire as part of a greater political process in Astana. Specifically, the opposition groups call for Russia to be the guarantor of the cessation of hostilities.

Agreement document: SY_171008_Announcement of Factions on joining the suspension of Hostilities_EN.pdf (opens in new tab) | Download PDF
Agreement document (original language): SY_171008_Announcement of Factions on joining the suspension of Hostilities_AR.pdf (opens in new tab)| Download PDF

Groups

Children/youth: No specific mention.
Disabled persons: No specific mention.
Elderly/age: No specific mention.
Migrant workers: No specific mention.
Racial/ethnic/national group: No specific mention.
Religious groups: No specific mention.
Indigenous people: No specific mention.
Other groups: No specific mention.
Refugees/displaced persons: Groups→Refugees/displaced persons→Substantive
Page 1, 4- Jaysh al-Islam, Aknaf Bayt al-Muqadis and Jaysh al-Abadil refuse the inhabitants of the area of North Damascus to be forcefully displaced to other places in Syria.
Social class: No specific mention.

Gender

Women, girls and gender: No specific mention.
Men and boys: No specific mention.
LGBTI: No specific mention.
Family: No specific mention.

State definition

Nature of state (general): No specific mention.
State configuration: No specific mention.
Self determination: No specific mention.
Referendum: No specific mention.
State symbols: No specific mention.
Independence/secession: No specific mention.
Accession/unification: No specific mention.
Border delimitation: No specific mention.
Cross-border provision: No specific mention.

Governance

Political institutions (new or reformed): No specific mention.
Elections: No specific mention.
Electoral commission: No specific mention.
Political parties reform: No specific mention.
Civil society: No specific mention.
Traditional/religious leaders: No specific mention.
Public administration: No specific mention.
Constitution: No specific mention.

Power sharing

Political power sharing: No specific mention.
Territorial power sharing: No specific mention.
Economic power sharing: No specific mention.
Military power sharing: No specific mention.

Human rights and equality

Human rights/RoL general: No specific mention.
Bill of rights/similar: No specific mention.
Treaty incorporation: No specific mention.
Civil and political rights: No specific mention.
Socio-economic rights: No specific mention.

Rights related issues

Citizenship: No specific mention.
Democracy: No specific mention.
Detention procedures: No specific mention.
Media and communication: No specific mention.
Mobility/access: Page 1, 5- Factions of Jaysh al-Islam, Aknaf Bayt al-Muqadis and Jaysh al-Abadil request the Republic of the Russian Federation to use its influence to continue the operation of the crossings in Bebila and to provide humanitarian objectives in North Damascus as well as to continue the entrance of nutritional and medical materials.
Protection measures: No specific mention.
Other: No specific mention.

Rights institutions

NHRI: No specific mention.
Regional or international human rights institutions: No specific mention.

Justice sector reform

Criminal justice and emergency law: No specific mention.
State of emergency provisions: No specific mention.
Judiciary and courts: No specific mention.
Prisons and detention: No specific mention.
Traditional Laws: No specific mention.

Socio-economic reconstruction

Development or socio-economic reconstruction: No specific mention.
National economic plan: No specific mention.
Natural resources: No specific mention.
International funds: No specific mention.
Business: No specific mention.
Taxation: No specific mention.
Banks: No specific mention.

Land, property and environment

Land reform/rights: No specific mention.
Pastoralist/nomadism rights: No specific mention.
Cultural heritage: No specific mention.
Environment: No specific mention.
Water or riparian rights or access: No specific mention.

Security sector

Security Guarantees: No specific mention.
Ceasefire: Security sector→Ceasefire→Ceasefire provision
Page 1, Factions of Jaysh al-Islam, Aknaf Bayt al-Muqadis and Jaysh al-Ababil, who control North Damascus (Syria), shown in the attached map, invite the Republic of the Russian Federation as one of the countries to be a guarantor of the commitment to cease of fighting, agreed upon on 30 December 2016 in Syria. It refers to the following:

Page 1, 1- Factions of Jaysh al-Islam, Aknaf Bayt al-Muqadis and Jaysh al-Abadil join the state of cease of fighting, as stated in the announcement on 30/12/2016, from 12.00 Damascus time on 12/10/2017.
Police: No specific mention.
Armed forces: No specific mention.
DDR: No specific mention.
Intelligence services: No specific mention.
Parastatal/rebel and opposition group forces: [Summary] Agreement is between three opposition groups and the Russian Federation. All clauses concern actions and commitments by these opposition groups.

Page 1, 2- Factions of Jaysh al-Islam, Aknaf Bayt al-Muqadis and Jaysh al-Abadil prepare to participate in the negotiation process on a political settlement with the goal of finding a comprehensive solution to the Syrian crisis by peaceful means, according to the Astana Resolutions and the Resolutions of the Security Council related to the Syrian Crisis.

Page 1, 6- Factions of Jaysh al-Islam, Aknaf Bayt al-Muqadis and Jaysh al-Abadil agree on a shared operation by preparing an agreement of North Damascus within three weeks.
Withdrawal of foreign forces: No specific mention.
Corruption: No specific mention.
Crime/organised crime: No specific mention.
Drugs: No specific mention.
Terrorism: No specific mention.

Transitional justice

Transitional justice general: No specific mention.
Amnesty/pardon: No specific mention.
Courts: No specific mention.
Mechanism: No specific mention.
Prisoner release: No specific mention.
Vetting: No specific mention.
Victims: No specific mention.
Missing persons: No specific mention.
Reparations: No specific mention.
Reconciliation: No specific mention.

Implementation

UN signatory: No specific mention.
Other international signatory: Page 1, 3- Factions of Jaysh al-Islam, Aknaf Bayt al-Muqadis and Jaysh al-Abadil express their satisfaction with the role of the Russian Federation as guarantor of implementing the state of cease of fighting in North Damascus. They also agree to their measures for the control forces to secure the state of cease of fighting within its borders.
Referendum for agreement: No specific mention.
International mission/force/similar: Page 1, 3- Factions of Jaysh al-Islam, Aknaf Bayt al-Muqadis and Jaysh al-Abadil express their satisfaction with the role of the Russian Federation as guarantor of implementing the state of cease of fighting in North Damascus. They also agree to their measures for the control forces to secure the state of cease of fighting within its borders.
Enforcement mechanism: No specific mention.
Related cases: No specific mention.
Source: Gomaa, Ahmed. ‘Exclusive document reveal agreement terms to reduce tensions in Damascus’, Egypt Today, 13 October 2017, https://www.egypttoday.com/Article/2/27478/Exclusive- document-reveal-agreement-terms-to-reduce-tensions-in-Damascus

Announcement of Factions of Jaysh al-Islam [The Army of Islam], Aknaf Bayt al-Muqadis [The Protector of the Holy House] and Jaysh al-Ababil [The Army of al-Ababil], who control North Damascus (Syria) regarding joining the suspension of hostilities

Factions of Jaysh al-Islam, Aknaf Bayt al-Muqadis and Jaysh al-Ababil, who control North Damascus (Syria), shown in the attached map, invite the Republic of the Russian Federation as one of the countries to be a guarantor of the commitment to cease of fighting, agreed upon on 30 December 2016 in Syria.

It refers to the following:

1- Factions of Jaysh al-Islam, Aknaf Bayt al-Muqadis and Jaysh al-Abadil join the state of cease of fighting, as stated in the announcement on 30/12/2016, from 12.00 Damascus time on 12/10/2017.

2- Factions of Jaysh al-Islam, Aknaf Bayt al-Muqadis and Jaysh al-Abadil prepare to participate in the negotiation process on a political settlement with the goal of finding a comprehensive solution to the Syrian crisis by peaceful means, according to the Astana Resolutions and the Resolutions of the Security Council related to the Syrian Crisis.

3- Factions of Jaysh al-Islam, Aknaf Bayt al-Muqadis and Jaysh al-Abadil express their satisfaction with the role of the Russian Federation as guarantor of implementing the state of cease of fighting in North Damascus.

They also agree to their measures for the control forces to secure the state of cease of fighting within its borders.

4- Jaysh al-Islam, Aknaf Bayt al-Muqadis and Jaysh al-Abadil refuse the inhabitants of the area of North Damascus to be forcefully displaced to other places in Syria.

5- Factions of Jaysh al-Islam, Aknaf Bayt al-Muqadis and Jaysh al-Abadil request the Republic of the Russian Federation to use its influence to continue the operation of the crossings in Bebila and to provide humanitarian objectives in North Damascus as well as to continue the entrance of nutritional and medical materials.

6- Factions of Jaysh al-Islam, Aknaf Bayt al-Muqadis and Jaysh al-Abadil agree on a shared operation by preparing an agreement of North Damascus within three weeks.

7- Factions of Jaysh al-Islam, Aknaf Bayt al-Muqadis and Jaysh al-Abadil request the representative of the Defence Ministry of the Russian Federation to present this announcement to the sides responsible for implementing the state of cease of fighting in Syria.

The agreement was made in Cairo on 8 October 2017 under the supervision of The Arab Republic of Egypt. [

It is published] in six versions which all possess the same legal force in the two languages of Russian and Arabic.

From factions of Jaysh al-Islam [Illegible] Mohammad ‘Alosh

From factions of Aknaf Bayt al-Muqadis [Illegible]

From factions of Jaysh al-Abadil [Illegible] Ahmad al-Jibawi

The Received Request

Representative of the Defence Ministry of the Republic of the Russian Federation [Illegible]