BEYOND SYRIA IRAQ

GOVERNANCE
in early Islamic history renowned for extremism) and its call for solidarity in
the face of the coalition alliance against IS. This statement might have led IS
to believe it could win over elements within AQAP to develop affiliates in
Yemen. For at least three months after the official declaration of Yemen as
part of the IS provinces, however, there was no evidence of IS activity there;
then statements began to be distributed in the name of various IS provinces
within Yemen, primarily making clear the intent to target Houthis with mass
attacks. This was also a theme in the IS nashid (hymn), “Oh Son of Yemen.”
The evidence for IS governance in Yemen is limited, and it appears the fortunes
of the IS affiliates in this regard were likely hurt considerably by internal
dissent that came to light in December 2015, when dozens of members,
including several high-ranking officials, rejected the overall wali appointed
by IS over Yemen. This ultimately led to an intervention by the IS Distant
Provinces Administration, which expelled from the ranks those perceived
to be the ringleaders of the conspiracy, with a further statement expelling
those who persisted in their dissent. How many abandoned their dissent is
not clear. As with the Sinai affiliate, the advertised material mainly points to
military operations—which have also targeted the Persian Gulf–led coalition
forces, particularly in the southern port city of Aden. From Aden, documentary
evidence also points to attempts by IS members to impose Islamic law,
but the evidence is poorly crafted and amateurish. Also as in the Sinai, a
photo series emerged of a medical clinic, supposedly under the Diwan al-
Siha, but this clinic actually appears to be meant for the treatment of IS
fighters. Thus, IS administrative structures that exist in Yemen mainly seem
directed toward internal management of the ranks, rather than governance
over the population.
The remaining case to consider is that of Libya, which has seen much
more successful IS governance develop than the other affiliates in the Middle
East and North Africa. Originally, IS governance in Libya was concentrated
in the city of Darnah in eastern Libya, which, to be sure, was never controlled
entirely by IS. This administration developed out of a pledge of allegiance
to IS by a local jihadist group called Majlis Shura Shabab al-Islam,
which moved quickly in October 2014 to set up institutions in Darnah mimicking
the IS bureaucratic system in Iraq and Syria, such as an Islamic court
and Diwan al-Hisba, under the moniker of “Cyrenaica province.” A Diwan
al-Taalim branch also emerged in the area, and documentary evidence attests
to the existence of a Diwan al-Dawa wa al-Masajid (responsible for religious
outreach and control of the affairs of mosques). This presence in Darnah city
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