Wadi Barada Agreement

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Country/entity: Syria
Region: Middle East and North Africa
Agreement name: Wadi Barada Agreement
Date: 6 Jan 2017
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: Residents of Wadi Barada.
Representative of the Syrian Government
Third parties: -
Description: Short 'surrender' type agreement between the residents of Wadi Barada and the Syrian Government of Bashir al-Asad. Agreement provides for: (1) the avoidance of conscription of military aged males for a 6-month period; (2) handover of medium and heavy weapons; (3) the evacuation of fighters not from Wadi Barada; (4) that the Syrian army will not enter homes but will set up checkpoints; (5) a return of locals to homes and jobs. Agreement does not contain an explicit cessation of hostilities clause, but this is implicated from the other areas of agreement.

Agreement document: SY_160106_Wadi Barada Agreement_EN.pdf (opens in new tab) | Download PDF
Agreement document (original language): SY_160106_Wadi Barada Agreement_AR.pdf (opens in new tab)| Download PDF

Local agreement properties

Process type: Informal but persistent process
Rationale: -> Link to national level; no external support mechanism; culture of signing There was no formally-established mechanism to support the negotiation. Reports point to the fact that the Syrian government and opposition delegations agreed on talks to achieve a ceasefire at Wadi Barada ever since the offensive was launched on 23 December 2016. This agreement is thus part of a series of peace-making efforts that resulted in the signing of several agreements. The fighting revolved around the water supply to Damascus, the capital and headquarters of the Syrian regime.
Is there a documented link to a national peace process?: Yes
Link to national process: articulated rationale: The agreement involves a central governance actor, a representative of the Syrian government. The agreement also mentions that the fighters can leave to Idlib where further fighting between the opposing parties then took place.
Name of Locale: Wadi Barada
Nature of Locale: Region
GPS Lat/Long (DD): 33.615001, 36.181144
Participant type: Central state actor
Local community/civilian group(s)/civil society organisations
Mediator, facilitator or similar: No mention of mediator or similar

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 ten provisions to address local grievances.

Page 1,
1. For those men who avoided army conscription, there will be a 6-month grace period. 2. All medium, heavy and light weapons shall be handed over.
3. The agreement will appear at all security agencies to clarify status.
4. No fighters originally from outside of Wadi Barada may remain.
5. Fighters from outside Wadi Barada can keep their light weapons and move to Idlib. 6. Local fighters can also choose to move to Idlib.
7. The Syrian Army will not enter private homes.
8. The Syrian Army will enter Wadi Barada and set up checkpoints.
9. Those from Wadi Barada may return to their village.
10. Those with jobs may return to their jobs as employees.
Cattle rustling/banditry: No specific mention.
Social cover: No specific mention.

Wadi Barada Agreement

6 January 2016

1. For those men who avoided army conscription, there will be a 6-month grace period.

2. All medium, heavy and light weapons shall be handed over.

3. The agreement will appear at all security agencies to clarify status.

4. No fighters originally from outside of Wadi Barada may remain.

5. Fighters from outside Wadi Barada can keep their light weapons and move to Idlib.

6. Local fighters can also choose to move to Idlib.

7. The Syrian Army will not enter private homes.

8. The Syrian Army will enter Wadi Barada and set up checkpoints.

9. Those from Wadi Barada may return to their village.

10. Those with jobs may return to their jobs as employees.

Signed:

Residents of Wadi Barada.

Representative of the Syrian Government