al-Bab Security Agreement

Country/entity
Syria
Region
Middle East and North Africa
Agreement name
al-Bab Security Agreement
Date
16 Jun 2017
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
"In the presence of the military factions undersigned and in the presence of the military council and the local council of the al-Bab city and the security organisation and in the presence of the brothers… "

The Military Council [Signature];
The Security Organisation [Signature];
The Sham Front [Signature];
Al-Sultan Murad, signed by Abu al-Walid al-Fari ;
The Samarkand General [Signature];
Sham Legion [Signature] ;;
Ahrar al-Sharqiyyah [Signature];
Al-Muntasir Bi-llah, signed by Ahmed Karamu;
The Local Council of the City of al-Bab [Signature];
Firqa al-Hamza, signed by Walid al-‘Ali ;
Al-Firqa al-Shumaliyyah, signed by Muhammad Mansur [illegible] ;
Suqur al-Shimal [Signature];
Brigade 51 [Signature];
Northern Brigade, signed by Muhammad Mustafa al-Uthman;
Al-Sultan Muhammad Fatih, signed by [Illegible] al-Shakir ;
Ahrar al-Sham, signed by Abu Muhammad [illegible];
Third parties
[Allegedly brokered by Turkey according to secondary sources]
Description
7-point agreement providing for the overall demilitarisaion of al-Bab city through the evacuation of all military headquarters in al-Bab City; defining who is responsible for arrests; prohibition on wearing masks; a prohibition of firing firearms; defining who may arrest soliders (not police); a prohibition on arresting former-ISIS affiliates (civilians and fighters).

Local agreement properties

Process type
Isolated example
Rationale
-> Local issues only; no external support mechanism; no culture of signing This is a local peace process that is apparently not supported by any mechanism. Moreover, the agreement does not highlight the persistence of a specific issue. Rather it was signed in a once-off attempt the solve the problems in al-Bab city. Finally, the agreement does not reflect a culture of signing agreements; it is the first agreement of this kind to be signed by a number of military and civilian parties.
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, although the agreement involves local governance actors representing civilian constituencies, the signing parties are not official state representative. Second, the majority of the parties to the agreement reject the national peace process, as it would maintain Bashar al-Assad and the Syrian government in power.
Name of Locale
al-Bab
Nature of Locale
City
GPS Lat/Long (DD)
36.371143, 37.514409
Participant type
Local state actor
Local armed group
Domestic religious organisation/leader or other elder
Mediator, facilitator or similar
Mediator or similar referred to
Mediator (references)
Turkish Army
Type of mediator/facilitator/similar
Central state actor

Local issues

Ritual/prayer and process (including use of scripture)
Page 1, In the name of God, most Gracious, most Compassionate
Grievance List
Although the agreement does not refer to specific causes of the conflict, it lists seven provisions to address local grievances.

Page 1,
1. Evacuation of all military headquarters located within al-Bab city.
2. All arrests and raids are carried out by the Chief Operating Room and the Military Council.
3. It is strictly forbidden to wear the “al-Sham” mask over the face for military and civilians
even during raids.
4. Shooting and any infraction are strictly forbidden and the [gun] owner will be accountable
and [his] arms [will be] confiscated.
5. The arrest of any military is prohibited through the National Police and the only authority
authorized to arrest the military is the main Operating Room and the Military Council.
6. Armed patrols inside the city is forbidden.
7. The seizure of those who used to work for the Islamic State as a civilian or a soldier is
forbidden, and carrying weapon is forbidden.
Cattle rustling/banditry

No specific mention.

Social cover

No specific mention.

In the name of God, most Gracious, most Compassionate

In the presence of the military factions undersigned and in the presence of the military council and the local council of the al-Bab city and the security organisation and in the presence of the brothers… it was agreed upon below:

1. Evacuation of all military headquarters located within al-Bab city.

2. All arrests and raids are carried out by the Chief Operating Room and the Military Council.

3. It is strictly forbidden to wear the “al-Sham” mask over the face for military and civilians even during raids.

4. Shooting and any infraction are strictly forbidden and the [gun] owner will be accountable and [his] arms [will be] confiscated.

5. The arrest of any military is prohibited through the National Police and the only authority authorized to arrest the military is the main Operating Room and the Military Council.

6. Armed patrols inside the city is forbidden.

7. The seizure of those who used to work for the Islamic State as a civilian or a soldier is forbidden, and carrying weapon is forbidden.

Friday 2017/6/16

The Military Council [Signature];

The Security Organisation [Signature];

The Sham Front [Signature];

Al-Sultan Murad, signed by Abu al-Walid al-Fari ;

The Samarkand General [Signature];

Sham Legion [Signature] ;

Ahrar al-Sharqiyyah [Signature];

Al-Muntasir Bi-llah, signed by Ahmed Karamu;

The Local Council of the City of al-Bab [Signature];

Firqa al-Hamza, signed by Walid al-‘Ali ;

Al-Firqa al-Shumaliyyah, signed by Muhammad Mansur [illegible] ;

Suqur al-Shimal [Signature];

Brigade 51 [Signature];

Northern Brigade, signed by Muhammad Mustafa al-Uthman;

Al-Sultan Muhammad Fatih, signed by [Illegible] al-Shakir ;

Ahrar al-Sham, signed by Abu Muhammad [illegible];