This article examines Al-Shabaab's Territorial Control and Governance: Beyond Terrorism Framing: International Norms, Local Realities with a focused emphasis on Zambia within the field of Law. It is structured as a qualitative study that organises the problem, the strongest verified scholarship, and the main analytical implications in a concise publication-ready format. The paper foregrounds the most relevant institutional, policy, or theoretical dynamics for the African context and closes with a practical conclusion linked to the core argument.