Agreement between Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), Syrian Liberation Front and Suqur al-Sham Brigades

Country/entity
Syria
Region
Middle East and North Africa
Agreement name
Agreement between Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), Syrian Liberation Front and Suqur al-Sham Brigades
Date
24 Apr 2018
Agreement status
Multiparty signed/agreed
Interim arrangement
Yes
Agreement/conflict level
Intrastate/local conflict
Stage
Ceasefire/related
Conflict nature
Inter-group
Peace process
Syrian Local Agreements
Parties
Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, signed by Abu Muhammed al-Jolani;
Syrian Liberation Front, signed by Hasan Muhammad Soufan;
Suqur al-Sham [Hawks of the Levant] Brigades, signed by Abu Zaher.
Third parties
-
Description
Six-point agreement providing for an end to hostilities, (2) an end to detentions, opening roads, removing checkpoints and returning detainees; (3) ending media incitement; (4) prisoner release; (5) forming two committees, implementation and mediation, and (6) beginning regular consultations.

Local agreement properties

Process type
Informal but persistent process
Rationale
-> Local issues only; no external support mechanism; culture of signing There is no formally established mechanism to support the negotiation between Salafi armed groups. Moreover, this agreement cannot be linked to the national peace process. Indeed, both groups have a Salafist ideology; they oppose the rule of Bashar al-Assad in Syria and reject the idea of a national negotiation to solve the conflict. Yet, it seems that both signing parties (especially Hayat Tahrir al-Sham) choose to solve daily pragmatic issues related to their armed struggle through agreements. 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. The agreement is related to multiple local level processes in Idlib and Aleppo governorates in 2018.
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. Second, all parties to the agreement reject the national peace process, as it would maintain Bashar al-Assad and the Syrian government in power. Finally, the agreement should be understood in the context of an “intra-religious insurgent groups” conflict where several factions that all oppose Bashar al-Assad engaged in fighting and took some distance from their initial raison d’être in the context of the Syrian civil war.
Name of Locale
NA
Nature of Locale
Region
GPS Lat/Long (DD)
35.649813, 36.678543
Participant type
Local armed group
Mediator, facilitator or similar
Mediator or similar referred to
Mediator (references)
uyt
Type of mediator/facilitator/similar

Local issues

Ritual/prayer and process (including use of scripture)
Page 1, All praises to Allah, who said that “[t]he believers are but brothers, so make settlement between your brothers. And fear Allah that you may receive mercy”, and peace and blessings be upon the Prophet of Allah, who said that “[a]ll of a Muslim is prohibited for another Muslim; his blood, his wealth, and his honor.”

Page 1, Third: Completely ending media incitement on official and individual media accounts, and Muslims adhere to their promises
Grievance List
Although the agreement does not refer to specific causes of the conflict, it lists six provisions to address local grievances.

Page 1,
First: Stopping killing between them permanently, starting from the date that this agreement is signed and disseminated on [illegible].
Second: Ending all detentions between the two sides, opening blocked roads, removing barriers, and returning detainees to their homes
Third: Completely ending media incitement on official and individual media accounts, and Muslims adhere to their promises
Fourth: Releasing the detainees from both sides based on a timeline established between the two sides
Fifth: Forming a committee made up of both sides, and a mediation committee, to follow up with the implementation of this agreement
Sixth: Starting regular consultations to reach a comprehensive solution in the following fields: military, political, administrative, and judicial
Cattle rustling/banditry

No specific mention.

Social cover

No specific mention.

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

All praises to Allah, who said that “[t]he believers are but brothers, so make settlement between your brothers.

And fear Allah that you may receive mercy”, and peace and blessings be upon the Prophet of Allah, who said that “[a]ll of a Muslim is prohibited for another Muslim;

his blood, his wealth, and his honor.”

An agreement was reached between Hayat Tahrir Al Sham, the Syrian Liberation Front, and the Syrian Hawks, as follows:

First:

Stopping killing between them permanently, starting from the date that this agreement is signed and disseminated on [illegible].

Second:

Ending all detentions between the two sides, opening blocked roads, removing barriers, and returning detainees to their homes

Third:

Completely ending media incitement on official and individual media accounts, and Muslims adhere to their promises

Fourth:

Releasing the detainees from both sides based on a timeline established between the two sides

Fifth:

Forming a committee made up of both sides, and a mediation committee, to follow up with the implementation of this agreement

Sixth:

Starting regular consultations to reach a comprehensive solution in the following fields:

military, political, administrative, and judicial

Tuesday

Written on 8 Shaaban 1439

24 April 2018

Signatories:

Hayat Tahrir al-Sham

[Signed]

Abu Muhammad Al Jolani

The Syrian Liberation Front

[Signed]

Hasan Muhammad Soufan

The Syrian Hawks

[Signed]

Abu Zaher