Agreement between Syrian Defence Forces (SDF) and the Islamic State (IS)

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Country/entity: Syria
Region: Middle East and North Africa
Agreement name: Agreement between Syrian Defence Forces (SDF) and the Islamic State (IS)
Date: 27 Nov 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: Inter-group
Peace process: Syrian Local Agreements
Parties: Islamic State (IS, ISIS);
Syrian Defence Forces (SDF)
Third parties: -
Description: Three part agreement with sections providing for military, political and economic issues.

Agreement document: SY_171127_ISIS Ceasefire_EN.pdf (opens in new tab) | Download PDF
Agreement document (original language): SY_171127_ISIS Ceasefire_AR.pdf (opens in new tab)| Download PDF

Local agreement properties

Process type: Isolated example
Rationale: -> Local issues only; no external support mechanism; no culture of signing The tensions between IS and other parts to the Syrian conflict are rarely solved with agreements, as the group does not recognise the legitimacy of any other actor, especially non-religious ones as it is the case of the Syrian Defence Forces. The truce (hudna) was probably seen as a necessity for IS’ soldiers who have been losing ground in Iraq and Syria since 2015. Moreover, only one previous local agreement (ceasefire) was reportedly signed in this locale between the YPG and the Syrian Army on 23 August 2016. Finally, no established mechanisms supported the negotiation. Hence, the agreement cannot be placed within the context of a systematic process of local agreements.
Is there a documented link to a national peace process?: No
Link to national process: articulated rationale: No link to the national peace process in Syria is mentioned in the agreement, neither it can be inferred from further research. First, the agreement does not involve local governance actors; and the signing parties themselves are not official state representative. It is not clear how the Syrian Defence Forces are affiliated to the Syrian army. As a humanitarian and civil organisation, they have been part of the International Civil Fence Organisation since 1972 onward. Moreover, they have been assisting the Syrian Arab Army – the land force branch of the Syrian Armed Forces – in several governorates such as Damascus, Deir Ezzor Raqqa and in Eastern Ghouta. Yet, the agreement has not been formally endorsed or recognised by any state representative. Hence, it cannot be safely asserted that the Syrian Defence Forces represent the state authority. Second, IS fully rejects the national peace process, as it would maintain Bashar al-Assad and the Syrian government in power.
Name of Locale: al-Hasakah
Nature of Locale: Region
GPS Lat/Long (DD): 36.511684, 40.742253
Participant type: International or transnational actor
Mediator, facilitator or similar: No mention of mediator or similar

Local issues

Ritual/prayer and process (including use of scripture): Page 1, In the name of God, most Gracious, most Compassionate

Page 2, Only Allah leads to prosperity and guides to the straight path.
Grievance List: Although the agreement does not refer to specific causes of the conflict, it seems that the confrontation between the Islamic State and the Syrian Defence Forces in the province of Barka lies at the centre of the dispute. The issue of captured soldiers and control over oil wells seem particularly important to the parties.
Cattle rustling/banditry: No specific mention.
Social cover: No specific mention.

In the name of God, most Gracious, most Compassionate

A. Military:

1. An immediate cessation of all fighting between the two parties until the end date of negotiations.

2. The duration of the truce is a month with possibility for extension, beginning on 20/11/2017 and ending 28/12/2017.

3. The two parties will determine safe geographical boundaries [a demarcation line].

4. The soldiers of the Islamic state [must not] be subjected to attack whilst carrying out military actions against parties outside of this agreement.

5. All military actions against the Islamic State [by the Syrian Defence Force] will cease including airstrikes and artillery.

6. The Islamic State is committed to ending military action against the other party in the agreement.

7. The Islamic State is committed to ending security actions [...]1 during the agreement [period] in the direct conflict area in Barka province [Hassakeh].

8. Both parties will establish a military coordination room and install a hotline between them.

9. Establishing communications will solve accidental or erroneous firing and the responsible party will provide a reason as well as immediately resolve the matter.

10. Military coordinators from both sides will report any movement on the front lines and their destination, as well as their purpose and proximity to either party, to ensure stability.

B. Political:

1. Islamic State soldiers captured before this agreement by the Syrian Defence Force will not be handed over to any party beyond this agreement and negotiations will remain between agreement parties.

2. Working on the issue of prisoners with the competent authorities of both parties.

3. Define the regions and parties involved in the agreement.

4. Non-exposure of the arrivals to the territory of the Islamic state from Jaysh al-Muhajirin wal-Ansar.

5. Any breach [of the agreement] by any party will be registered and referred to the competent

6. Existing problems will be solved directly between the parties.

D. Economic:

1. Trade crossings to the Islamic State magistrate will open and neither side will block movement of goods.

2. Remaining oil wells under the authority of the Islamic State will remain under their authority.

3. Syrian Defence Forces will provide safety to Islamic State fighters leaving their territories for the purpose of medical treatment.

The truce will end on the agreed date or when a party annuls the terms of the truce.

The Islamic State does not breach covenants and works to fulfil the obligations and is not responsible for any individual behaviour of its members or loyalists other than its soldiers.

Only Allah leads to prosperity and guides to the straight path.