FIS (Islamic Salvation Front)

The Islamic Salvation Front (FIS) is an Algerian political party that originated in the late 1980s, advocating for Islamic governance based on Sharia law. It emerged during a period of political liberalization in Algeria and gained significant popular support, winning the 1991 parliamentary elections. However, the military intervened, canceling the election results, which led to widespread violence and a brutal civil war in the 1990s. The FIS was subsequently banned, and its leaders were jailed or exiled. The group's rise and fall highlight the complexities of political Islam and the challenges faced by secular governments in the region.