Damascus Truce I between Bayt Sahem and Babila

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Country/entity: Syria
Region: Middle East and North Africa
Agreement name: Damascus Truce I between Bayt Sahem and Babila
Date: 17 Feb 2014
Agreement status: Multiparty signed/agreed
Interim arrangement: Yes
Agreement/conflict level: Intrastate/local 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: Leaders of Bayt Sahem and Babila (Syrian Opposition);
Syrian Government;
Third parties: -
Description: Short ceasefire negotiated between the Syrian Government and the leaders of Bayt Sahem and Babila in the Damascus Countryside. Provides guarantees of Syrian Army to not enter the towns, re-supply water and electricity, open roads, and allow fighters that wish to surrender to do so, in addition to surrendering heavy weaponry.

Agreement document: SY_140115_Truce Agreement in Bayt Sahem and Babila_EN.pdf (opens in new tab) | Download PDF
Agreement document (original language): SY_140115_Truce Agreement in Bayt Sahem and Babila_AR.pdf (opens in new tab)| Download PDF

Local agreement properties

Process type: Informal but persistent process
Rationale: -> no support mechanism, link to the national peace process, culture of signing No formal mechanism supported the signing of the agreement, which was negotiated by public figures. It is part of a choreography of local agreements signed at that time in the countryside of Aleppo. Indeed, in addition to Babbila and Beit Sahem, similar deals have been struck for Qudsaya, Moadamiyet al-Sham, Barzeh, Yalda and Yarmuk Palestinian refugee camp
Is there a documented link to a national peace process?: Yes
Link to national process: articulated rationale: The agreement seems to be linked to the national peace process. The agreement involves national and local governance actor.
Name of Locale: Bayt Sahem, Babila
Nature of Locale: Region
GPS Lat/Long (DD): 33.471507, 36.339126
Participant type: Central state actor
Domestic religious organisation/leader or other elder
Mediator, facilitator or similar: Mediator or similar referred to
Mediator (references): The agreement was negotiated by public figures (unnamed).
Type of mediator/facilitator/similar: Local community/civilian group(s)/civil society organisations

Local issues

Ritual/prayer and process (including use of scripture): No specific mention.
Grievance List: Although the agreement does not refer to specific causes of the conflict, it lists seven provisions to address local grievances.

Page 1,
1. Handover of heavy weaponry in the possession of fighters.
2. The option for fighters to either stay within the two regions [of Bayt Sahem and
Babila] or if they wish, to settle in the [Syrian] state and if part of the military, re-
join it.
3. Place a barrier at the entrance to the town of Babila consisting of fighters who will
surrender themselves to the Syrian Army [and the town to] the command of the
Syrian Army.
4. The Syrian Army has not entered Bayt Sahem or Babila and militants maintain their
positions within the two towns under the command of the Syrian Army.
5. Re-supply the towns with water and electricity and re-construct public and private
property.
6. [Undertake] a mutual ceasefire.
7. Open the roads leading to the two areas and introduce various types of assistance to
civilians.
Cattle rustling/banditry: No specific mention.
Social cover: No specific mention.

Truce Agreement in the towns of Bayt Sahem and Babila

15/01/2014

Handover of heavy weaponry in the possession of fighters.

The option for fighters to either stay within the two regions [of Bayt Sahem and Babila] or if they wish, to settle in the [Syrian] state and if part of the military, re-join it.

Place a barrier at the entrance to the town of Babila consisting of fighters who will surrender themselves to the Syrian Army [and the town to] the command of the Syrian Army.

The Syrian Army has not entered Bayt Sahem or Babila and militants maintain their positions within the two towns under the command of the Syrian Army.

Re-supply the towns with water and electricity and re-construct public and private property.

[Undertake] a mutual ceasefire.

Open the roads leading to the two areas and introduce various types of assistance to civilians.