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The lack of internal order in Somalia has left the country vulnerable to the rise of hard-line Islamist groups, most notably al-Shabaab. Al-Shabaab purports to be committed to global jihadism, has self-professed connections to al-Qaeda, and of late, has proved able to capture and control territory. Consequently, al-Shabaab and other like-minded Somali radicals are viewed as a threat to the Somali Transitional Federal Government, to Somalia’s neighbours, and to the broader international community, particularly the United States and other Western countries. However, it is argued here that al-Shabaab’s particular rise to prominence is partly a factor of the policy follies of regional and international players in Somalia. Morever, despite the threat the organisation poses, al-Shabaab quite likely faces implosion