**Hizbul Islam**
**Definition**
Hizbul Islam was a Somali Islamist insurgent group formed in 2009, aiming to oppose the Transitional Federal Government and foreign military presence in Somalia.
**History and Background**
Hizbul Islam emerged in January 2009 as a coalition of four Islamist factions: the Alliance for the Re-liberation of Somalia (ARS), Jabhatul Islamiya, Mu’askar Ras Kamboni, and a faction of the Islamic Courts Union (ICU). The group sought to establish an Islamic state in Somalia and resist the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) backed by African Union forces.
**Objectives and Ideology**
The group’s primary objective was to expel foreign troops and overthrow the TFG, advocating for the implementation of Sharia law. Hizbul Islam opposed the presence of Ethiopian forces in Somalia and aimed to unify Islamist factions under its leadership.
**Conflict and Activities**
Hizbul Islam engaged in armed conflict with the TFG and African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) forces. The group was involved in several battles, particularly in southern Somalia, including Mogadishu. Internal divisions and clashes with rival Islamist groups, notably Al-Shabaab, weakened Hizbul Islam over time.
**Decline and Merger**
By late 2010, Hizbul Islam’s influence diminished due to internal disputes and military setbacks. In December 2010, the group merged with Al-Shabaab, effectively dissolving as an independent entity.
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**Meta Description**
Hizbul Islam was a Somali Islamist insurgent group active from 2009 to 2010, opposing the Transitional Federal Government and foreign forces. It later merged with Al-Shabaab.