Agreement for a ceasefire and exchange of prisoners between Tahrir al-Sham and the National Liberation Front (NLF) in Idlib

Country/entity
Syria
Region
Middle East and North Africa
Agreement name
Agreement for a ceasefire and exchange of prisoners between Tahrir al-Sham and the National Liberation Front (NLF) in Idlib
Date
10 Jan 2019
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
On the side of Hayʼat Tahrīr al-Shām                    
[Stamp]+[signature]                                                

On the side of Jabhat al-Wataniya lil-Tahrīr
 Harakat aḥrāru a-Shām al-islāmiyah [Islamic Movement of the Free Men of the Levant]                                                                                   

Jaber Ali Pasha  
 [signature]                                                                                

Alwiyat Suqour al-Sham [The Sham Falcons Brigades]                                                                                  

Abu Issa al-Shiekh                                                                                  
[signature]
Third parties
-
Description
In this agreement, the signing parties agree to a ceasefire, exchange of detainees, as well as recognising the authority of the rescue government (Salvation Government) over the territories in Idlib.


Local agreement properties

Process type
Informal but persistent process
Rationale
No formally established mechanism supported the negotiation between the two armed groups. Moreover, this agreement cannot be linked to the national peace process. Indeed, both groups 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 choose to solve their quarrels through agreements. Finally, this agreement is one of the several agreements signed between the two groups throughout 2018 and 2019 in Idlib and Aleppo governorate.
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.
Name of Locale
NA
Nature of Locale
Region
GPS Lat/Long (DD)
35.619521, 36.783728
Participant type
Local armed group
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 Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful 10/01/2019

Page 1, Praise be to God and prayers and peace be upon the Messenger of God, his family and companions, and his supporter, and after:
Grievance List
The agreement addresses the local grievances that arose from the clashes between two opposition groups in Idlib governorate.
Cattle rustling/banditry

No specific mention.

Social cover

No specific mention.


In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful 10/01/2019

Praise be to God and prayers and peace be upon the Messenger of God, his family and companions, and his supporter, and after:

It was agreed between Hayʼat Tahrīr al-Shām [Organization for the Liberation of the Levant] from one side and the Jabhat al-Wataniya lil-Tahrīr [The National Front for Liberation] from the other side on the following:

- An immediate ceasefire between the two sides and remove the mounds and the barriers.

- Exchange detainees from both sides, who were arrested against the background of recent events

- The whole area to be administratively under the rescue government

Released on Thursday

Jumada Al-Awwal 3, 1440

10/1/2019

On the side of Hayʼat Tahrīr al-Shām On the side of Jabhat al-Wataniya lil-Tahrīr

[Stamp]+[signature] Harakat aḥrāru a-Shām al-islāmiyah [Islamic Movement of the Free Men of the Levant]

Jaber Ali Pasha

[signature]

Alwiyat Suqour al-Sham [The Sham Falcons Brigades]

Abu Issa al-Shiekh

[signature]