Modern Conflict

Protests against the Rebellion

There has been a fighting campaign against the Mali government for the liberation of Northern Mali also known as Azawad. A group called The National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad wants to claim Azawad as a homeland for the indigenous Tuareg people. Amadou Toure was ousted from office on March 22, 2012 days before the national elections and rebel groups took control of the Mali Constitution. Mali's three largest cities were overrun by rebels in three days and the NMLA declaresd Azawad an independant country. Initially the NMLA was backed by the Islamist group Ansar Dine who then imposed strict Sharia law on the claimed cities. The NMLA didn't agree with the way the Ansar Dine was handling things and so there has also been fighting between the rebel groups and Islamist militants. On February 8, 2013 with the aid of other northern African countries and the French army, Northern Mali was reclaimed by the Malian Army but the fighting persists.