Agreement in East Ghouta and Jubar between the Free Syrian Army (FSA) and Russia

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Country/entity: Syria
Region: Middle East and North Africa
Agreement name: Agreement in East Ghouta and Jubar between the Free Syrian Army (FSA) and Russia
Date: 16 Aug 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: Free Syrian Army in Jubar and East Ghouta, represented by Faylaq al-Rahman [Signed by President of the Political Bureau of the Free Syrian Army in Jubar and East Ghouta, [Illegible]]
Third parties: Representative of the Russian Guarantor, [Illegible]
Description: Agreement guaranteed by Russia between the Free Syrian Army/Faylaq al-Rahman Corps and the Syrian Regime providing for a ceasefire; prohibition of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, Islamic State or Jabhat al-Nusra fighters in FSA areas; access to humanitarian aid and goods through various checkpoints; that the area is ruled by a command council, that Russian forces will be a control force and that a committee will be created to release those imprisoned.

Agreement document: SY_170816_East Ghouta and Jubar, FSA and Russia_EN.pdf (opens in new tab) | Download PDF
Agreement document (original language): SY_170816_East Ghouta and Jubar, FSA and Russia_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 A regional mechanism supported the negotiation of the agreement that came as the result of three-day negotiation held in Geneva. Moreover, Russia – one of the signing parties – has quickly assumed a central role in the negotiations between Bashar al-Assad government and the opposition factions, aiming at bringing a definitive end to the Syrian conflict.
Is there a documented link to a national peace process?: T
Link to national process: articulated rationale: It seems difficult to link the agreement to the national peace process, which is not mentioned in the text of the agreement. On the one hand, Russia aims to foster negotiation between al-Assad government and opposition factions to stabilise the country and reach definite peace. On the other side, in the agreement, the Free Syrian Army reaffirms its devotion to the revolution “until the realisation of a free and noble Syria”, which implies that Bashar al-Assad must leave step down.
Name of Locale: al-Jobeh [Jobar], Eastern Ghouta
Nature of Locale: Region
GPS Lat/Long (DD): 33.928364, 36.496495
Participant type: Central state actor
Local armed group
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: The agreement addresses the grievances that arose from the clashes between the Free Syrian Army and Syrian government forces in Jubar and East Ghouta. Such grievances include 1) the targeting of diplomatic missions in the ground by the Free Syrian Army, especially the Russian embassy in Damascus; 2) the presence of Salafi-jihadi groups in those areas such as Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and Daesh; 3) the humanitarian situation in the contested areas.
Cattle rustling/banditry: No specific mention.
Social cover: No specific mention.

Agreement

Regarding the Steps to Find a Comprehensive Solution to the Syrian Issue by Peaceful Means in the Area of Decreased Escalation which includes all of Jubar and East Ghouta

The Free Syrian Army in Jubar and East Ghouta, represented by Faylaq al-Rahman - referred to as side one in this agreement - and the Russian Federation, as one of the guarantor countries for the operation of stability - referred to as side two for the purpose of this agreement - agree to respect the principle of sovereignty of the Syrian Arab Republic, the unity of its lands and its regional peace. [

They also respect] the necessity to end hostilities within a comprehensive solution in Syria based on the related international resolutions, especially the Geneva Declaration, Resolutions 2118 and 2254 of the Security Council, the Ankara Agreement for Ceasefire dated 29/12/2016 and the Agreement of Areas of Decreased Escalation.

They agree to the shared will of the Free Syrian Army in Jubar and East Ghouta, represented by Faylaq al-Rahman and the Russian Federation, to continue the agreement.

The following is agreed upon:

1-The preamble of this agreement is recognised as an integral part of this agreement.

2-The two sides commit to a ceasefire and to join the state of cessation of hostilities.

They also welcome the creation of an area of decreased escalation, including Jubar and East Ghouta, where the borders of the area of decreased escalation are identified and lined out on a map reflecting reality and the land rights of the two conflicting fronts on the day of the agreement.

3-The two fronts of the conflict pledge to stop all hostile operations towards each other, starting from 08/08/2017 at 21.00 exactly, Damascus time.

The two sides also guarantee that the two sides will immediately end the use of all types of weapons, including aerial, rocket, artillery and mortar shells attacks in addition to light weapons.

The Free Syrian Army in Jubar and East Ghouta, represented by Faylaq al-Rahman and based on its principles, take all the necessary measures to prevent the targeting of all diplomatic missions on the grounds they control in Jubar and Ghouta, including the Russian Embassy in Damascus.

4-Starting from the beginning of the enforcement of the ceasefire, separation lines will be drawn between the two conflicting fronts on a map reflecting reality and the land rights of the two conflicting fronts at the time of the signature of the agreement.

5-The first side in this agreement commits to prohibit members of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (earlier referred to as Jabhat al-Nusra) in the areas they control in the area of decreased escalation.

It also stresses its stance on disapproving of and fighting the organisation Daesh [ISIL] and Nusra and their extremist ideology in any area they control.

In the case of members of Jabhat al-Nusra preparing to depart to Idlib with or without their families side two of this agreement guarantees safe passage.

6-The two sides commit to fully implement this agreement and to completely end all the military operations in the area of decreased escalation in Jubar and East Ghouta, including all aerial, rocket and artillery attacks.

Any transgression or violation of the provisions of this agreement is punishable, according to the attached mechanism for ceasefire signed in Ankara on 29/12/2016.

7-The two sides immediately take all necessary measures to improve the humanitarian situation in the area of decreased escalation.

In order to realise this goal, side two guarantees and facilitates the immediate entry of relief and medical convoys as well as other humanitarian needs through the two check points controlled by side one in ‘Ain Tarma and Harasta, which includes evacuation of patients to Syrian or Russian hospitals according to their will.

The signing of this agreement also allows for the entry of all the necessary materials for the reconstruction process based on requests by side one.

Representatives of the Russian Federation will undertake the inspection of convoys.

8-Side two commits to facilitate all civil, economic and business operations and activities and to allow the entry of a sufficient quantity of goods determined by side one to the area of decreased escalation without any additional or increased taxes or fees on the prices.

For the purpose of this agreement, goods refer to food, medicine, medical equipment, fuel, raw materials, building materials, all electronic and mechanic devices and equipment, in addition to everything that is considered necessary for filling civil needs.

9-The area of decreased escalation is managed by a command council responsible for all civil activities.

It is assigned with creating a national justice committee to peacefully solve all conflicts between the civilian population.

10-If agreed by the two sides and if there is an additional need, any items, archives, attachments or protocols may be approved in order to enforce the realisation of the rulings of this agreement and to clarify them.

11-Side one recognises the acceptance of the Russian Federation as a guarantor to implement this agreement.

It also accepts that this side establishes control forces for the cessation of hostilities.

These forces are based on the length of the front line between the two conflicting fronts, according to the attached map, as well as on other sites outside the area of decreased escalation.

12-When this agreement comes into force, a committee which represents the two sides as well as the Russian Federation as guarantor will be established in order to facilitate the immediate release of all detainees, abductees and forcefully displaced people from both sides. [

This will happen] within a period of one month.

13-This agreement is recognised as an introduction for creating a sound environment to implement the comprehensive political solution according to the international resolutions mentioned in the preamble above.

No other options to these are considered in any case.

14-The implementation of this agreement starts from the date of signature.

Signed in Geneva 16/08/2017 in two copies in the Arabic and Russian language.

The two copies possess the same legal force in the Arabic and Russian language.

President of the Political Bureau of the Free Syrian Army in Jubar and East Ghouta

[Illegible]

Representative of the Russian Guarantor

[Illegible]