Hizbul Islam - History - Defeat By Al-Shabaab 2009-2010

Defeat By Al-Shabaab 2009-2010

In October 2009 the group underwent division with one faction fighting and losing to al-Shabaab. The group ended up surrendering to and joining al-Shabaab in December 2010.

On 1 October 2009, armed conflict between Hizbul Islam and al-Shabaab began in a dispute between the a faction of the Ras Kamboni Brigades and al-Shabaab over who was in charge of Kisimayo. ARS-A and JABISO, which were aligned with al-Shabaab in Mogadishu and the central Somalian Hiran region, refused to support the Ras Kamboni Brigades, meanwhile Anole remained neutral. It also led to a split within the Ras Kamboni Brigades, with a faction led by Ahmed "Madoobe" starting the war against al-Shabaab and a faction led by Hassan "Turki" siding with al-Shabaab. The battle of Kisimayo was decisively won by al-Shabaab which expelled Madbobe's Ras Kamboni Brigade forces from the city. In the battles that followed, in November 2009, Madobe's forces were overpowered by al-Shabaab and local allies and forced to withdraw from the Lower Jubba region and most of Southern Somalia. In February 2010, al-Turki's branch declared a merge with al-Shabaab.

A decisive clash in Hiran, in early 2010, was won by al-Shabaab, which then took control of the area. Late in the year, Hizbul Islam were expelled from Bay region as well, after al-Shabaab seized control of Bur Hakab. Soon after Hizbul Islam was forced to surrender Luq town to al-Shabaab after which it was announced that Hizbul Islam would merge with al-Shabaab. From mid-December al-Shabaab fighters started taking over Hizbul Islam positions. On 20 December, Hizbul Islam officially surrendered to al-Shabaab and a merger, retaining the name 'Al-Shabaab', was confirmed by Hizbul Islam chairman Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys and official spokesman Sheikh Mohammad Osman Arus.