Agreement on Jandaires (Aleppo) between the People’s Defence Forces (YPG) and the Free Syrian Army (FSA)

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Country/entity: Syria
Region: Middle East and North Africa
Agreement name: Agreement on Jandaires (Aleppo) between the People’s Defence Forces (YPG) and the Free Syrian Army (FSA)
Date: 25 Sep 2013
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: Inter-group
Peace process: Syrian Local Agreements
Parties: Free Syrian Army (FSA);
People's Defence Units (YPG)
Third parties: Syrian Army to act as guarantor.
Description: Short agreement between FSA and YPG, guaranteed by the Syrian Army, to strengthen resolve against ISIS. Agreement stipulates territorial control by the two groups, a curfew, a prisoner release and enforcement mechanisms.

Agreement document: SY_130925_FSA-YPG Jandairis Agreement_EN.pdf (opens in new tab) | Download PDF
Agreement document (original language): SY_130925_FSA-YPG Jandairis Agreement_KD_AR.pdf (opens in new tab)| Download PDF

Local agreement properties

Process type: Formal structured process
Rationale: -> Link to national level; external support mechanism; culture of signing There was allegedly a formally-establish mechanism to support the negotiation as the agreement was guaranteed by the Syrian Army. Also, it seems that both signing parties choose to solve daily pragmatic issues related to their armed struggle through agreements (especially the YPG). 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?: Yes
Link to national process: articulated rationale: The agreement seems to be linked to the national peace process as it is guaranteed by the Syrian Army.
Name of Locale: Afrin neighbourhood, Dalkan, Jalamah
Nature of Locale: Region
GPS Lat/Long (DD): 36.376682, 36.717568
Participant type: Central state actor
Local armed group
Mediator, facilitator or similar: Mediator or similar referred to
Mediator (references): Syrian Army
Type of mediator/facilitator/similar: Central state actor

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 twelve provisions to address local grievances.

Page 1,
1- [Bashar] al-Asad's army command is accepted for both parties as guarantor.
2- The Free Syrian Army Command should be set up in strategic areas of importance to them.
3- All strategic strongholds in Afrin are under the People's Protection Units (YPG). 4- Evacuation of all sites of military importance to both sides.
5- Release all prisoners, civilians first.
6- Neither side will target civilians.
7- Impose a curfew by both sides.
8- Prevent the entry of any armed person into Jandaires and other areas of Afrin, except in the case of military action and in coordination [with each other] a group may be transferred to their deployment location.
9- This agreement shall be deemed null and void as soon as it is breached by one of the parties.
10- This co-operates in the village of Dalkan (Milla Khalilah) until the village of Jalameh.
11- Any violation of this agreement should be resolved quickly and for this reason, a joint center should be formed in both sides.
12- Any violation requiring a trial, will be held before a joint Shariah Council.
Cattle rustling/banditry: No specific mention.
Social cover: No specific mention.

Jandairis (Aleppo) Agreement between the Free Syrian Army (FSA) and the People’s Defence Units (YPG)

September 25, 2013

1- [Bashar] al-Asad's army command is accepted for both parties as guarantor.

2- The Free Syrian Army Command should be set up in strategic areas of importance to them.

3- All strategic strongholds in Afrin are under the People's Protection Units (YPG).

4- Evacuation of all sites of military importance to both sides.

5- Release all prisoners, civilians first.

6- Neither side will target civilians.

7- Impose a curfew by both sides.

8- Prevent the entry of any armed person into Jandaires and other areas of Afrin, except in the case of military action and in coordination [with each other] a group may be transferred to their deployment location.

9- This agreement shall be deemed null and void as soon as it is breached by one of the parties.

10- This co-operates in the village of Dalkan (Milla Khalilah) until the village of Jalameh.

11- Any violation of this agreement should be resolved quickly and for this reason, a joint center should be formed in both sides.

12- Any violation requiring a trial, will be held before a joint Shariah Council.