The Shura Council of Mujahideen in Derna ( ar, مجلس شورى مجاهدي درنة) was a coalition of Islamist militias that advocated the implementation of

Sharia law Sharia (; ar, شريعة, sharīʿa ) is a body of religious law that forms a part of the Islamic tradition. It is derived from the Five Pillars of Islam, religious precepts of Islam and is based on the Islamic holy books, sacred scriptures o ...

within

Derna, Libya Derna (; ar, درنة ') is a port city in eastern Libya. It has a population of 85,000–90,000. It was the seat of one of the wealthiest provinces in the Barbary States, and remains the capital of the Derna District, with a much smaller area. ...

. Besides seeking to implement strict social mores in Derna, the alliance was known for its open opposition to

Khalifa Haftar Field Marshal Khalifa Belqasim Haftar ( ar, خليفة بلقاسم حفتر, Ḵalīfa Bilqāsim Ḥaftar; born 7 November 1943) is a Libyan-American politician, military officer, and the commander of the Tobruk-based Libyan National Army (LNA) ...

and the Libyan affiliates of the

Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant An Islamic state is a State (polity), state that has a form of government based on sharia, Islamic law (sharia). As a term, it has been used to describe various historical Polity, polities and theories of governance in the Islamic world. As a t ...

(ISIL). On 11 May 2018, the Shura Council was dissolved as result of reversals during the

Battle of Derna (2018) The Battle of Derna at Derna, Cyrenaica, was the decisive victory in April–May 1805 of a mercenary army recruited and led by United States Marines under the command of U.S. Army Lieutenant William Eaton, diplomatic Consul to Tripoli, and U ...

, and replaced by the

Derna Protection Force The Derna Protection Force (DPF; Arabic: قوة حماية درنة), also known as the Derna Security Force, was a Libyan militia formed by Ateyah Al-Shaari on 11 May 2018, during the Libyan National Army's assault on Derna. History The militia ...

Background

The Shura Council of Mujahideen in Derna was created by former

Libyan Islamic Fighting Group The Libyan Islamic Fighting Group (LIFG), also known as ''Al-Jama'a al-Islamiyyah al-Muqatilah bi-Libya'' ( ar, الجماعة الإسلامية المقاتلة بليبيا), was an armed Islamist group. Militants participated in the 2011 Liby ...

member Salim Derby on 12 December 2014. The group frequently clashed with ISIL in Derna in disputes over power and resources in the city. In June 2015, ISIL gunmen killed senior Shura Council leader Nasser Akr. The group responded by declaring a Jihad against ISIL. Salim Derby was killed on 11 June 2015, As a result of the ensuing clashes. The Shura Council was known to have close ties to the militant

Egypt Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediter ...

ian al-Mourabitoun network of

Hesham Ashmawy Hesham Ali Ashmawy Mos'ad Ibrahim ( ar, هشام عشماوي مسعد إبراهيم; 1978 – March 4, 2020) was a convicted terrorist who previously was an Egyptian Army officer, suspected by the government of having orchestrated and been inv ...

Members

At its founding, the council included the following groups: * Jaysh al-Islam (Libya) *

Abu Salim Martyrs Brigade The Abu Salim Martyrs Brigade was an Islamist militia that advocated for the implementation of Sharia law within Derna, Libya. The group was known for enforcing strict social rules in the city. Background The Abu Salim Martyrs Brigade was create ...

References

{{Militant Islamism in the Middle East Jihadist groups in Libya Rebel groups in Libya Anti-ISIL factions Second Libyan Civil War Derna, Libya

Background

Members

Further reading

References