The two main Islamist insurgent groups, al-Shabab (Youth) and Hizbul Islam (Party of Islam), merged in the last week of December and vowed to increase attacks on forces of the African Union Mission in Somalia (Amisom), which supports the TFG. Relations between the two groups-which between them comprise several thousand fighters and control most of central and southern Somalia, as well as large areas of the capital-have been chequered in recent years. They have joined forces against troops loyal to the TFG in some parts of the country but have fought each other elsewhere.

The recent so-called merger is apparently not a union of equals, and Hizbul Islam has in effect been absorbed by the stronger of the two rebel forces. The leader of Hizbul Islam, Hassan Dahir Aweys, may therefore have decided to make a virtue of necessity by agreeing to a "merger" rather than allowing his militia to be taken over by al-Shabab-on its terms. It has been reported that under the terms of the merger Mr Aweys will lead the military campaign in central regions of the country, while al-Shabab militiamen will be responsible for operations elsewhere in the country. This includes the breakaway provinces of Puntland and Somaliland, which have to date escaped relatively unscathed from the jihadis' bloody campaign. An end to the simmering territorial disputes between the two insurgent groups will undoubtedly be to the TFG's disadvantage.