The armed group al-Shabab aim is to impose strict Islamic law across Somalia.
In the cities they already control, everything deemed un-Islamic has been quickly destroyed.
Zakaryya Abdelhady, a professor of Islamic thought and culture at Qatar University in Doha, discusses sharia and al-Shabab's actions with Al Jazeera.
The World Cup football tournament kicks off in one week, and host South Africa is busy putting on the finishing touches. But not everyone is looking forward to the tournament. Authorites in cities including Cape Town are being accused of clearing the poor from the streets - to create a good impression for visiting fans. Al Jazeera's Haru Mutasa has more.