Azawad

Azawad was a place in northern Mali.

It sat in a very dry area. The land was part of a dry river basin.

A group called the MNLA wanted it to be its own land. They said it was independent in 2012.

This caused some fighting in the region. Many groups fought for control of the land.

Later, the leaders asked to talk with the Mali government. They made a peace deal in 2013.

Azawad was a place in northern Mali.

It was not a country that others recognized. It existed as a short-lived state from 2012 to 2013.

The name Azawad comes from an old word. It refers to a dry river basin. The area covers much of northern Mali. It includes cities like Gao and Timbuktu.

Gao was the largest city. It served as a temporary capital. Timbuktu was the second-largest city.

A group called the MNLA led a rebellion. They wanted Azawad to be independent from Mali. They claimed about 60 percent of Mali's land. This led to much fighting. Other groups also fought to control the land.

In 2013, the MNLA asked to talk with the Mali government. They reached a peace deal in June 2013. This deal gave the Tuareg people more power to run their own land.

The land remains part of Mali today.

Azawad was a short-lived state in northern Mali.

It existed from 2012 to 2013. The name comes from an old Berber word, Azawagh. This word refers to a dry river basin. It also means the "land of transhumance."

The area claimed by the MNLA covered about 60 percent of Mali's total land. This region included the cities of Timbuktu, Kidal, and Gao. Gao was the largest city and served as a temporary capital. Timbuktu was the second-largest city and was meant to be the capital.

The state was formed during a rebellion. A group called the MNLA led this movement. They wanted the region to be independent from Mali. In April 2012, they declared Azawad an independent state. Bilal Ag Acherif signed the declaration in Gao. He became the leader of the interim government. The MNLA had up to 3,000 soldiers. However, no other country or group recognized Azawad as a real nation.

History in this region is very long. Before Mali was independent, France controlled much of the land. Timbuktu was taken by French soldiers in 1893. The area was part of a colony called French Sudan. The name of this colony changed many times over the years. Mali finally became independent from France in 1960. Since then, the Tuareg people have had four major rebellions against Malian rule. These happened in 1962, 1990, 2007, and 2012.

Things became very difficult for the region in 2012. Different groups fought for control of the land. Some were Tuareg rebels, while others were Islamist groups like Ansar Dine.

These groups clashed in the cities of Gao and Timbuktu. In 2013, France and Chad sent troops to help the Malian army. This was done to help stop the Islamist groups. The fighting made life very hard for the people living there.

Eventually, a peace deal was reached in June 2013. The MNLA decided to stop claiming independence from Mali. They asked to start talks with the Malian government instead. The new deal gave the Tuareg people more power to run their own local affairs. This is called autonomy.

This allowed people in the north to vote in the Malian elections. Today, the land remains a part of the country of Mali.

Azawad was a short-lived, unrecognized state in northern Mali.

It existed between 2012 and 2013. The name is an Arabic corruption of the Berber word Azawagh. This term refers to a dry river basin in western Niger, northeastern Mali, and southern Algeria. The name translates to the "land of transhumance."

The territory claimed by the MNLA covered about 60 percent of Mali's total land area. This region included the Malian regions of Timbuktu, Kidal, and Gao. It also included a part of the Mopti Region. Gao was the largest city and served as the temporary capital. Timbuktu was the second-largest city and was intended to be the capital.

The state was formed through a Tuareg rebellion. The National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad, or MNLA, led this movement. They drove the Malian Armed Forces out of the region. On 6 April 2012, the MNLA declared the independence of Azawad. Bilal Ag Acherif signed the declaration in Gao. He was the secretary-general of the MNLA. He also served as the leader of the provisional government. This government was called the Transitional Council of the State of Azawad. It had 28 members to manage the new state. The MNLA had an estimated 3,000 soldiers during this time.

No foreign entity recognized Azawad as a real country. The African Union called the declaration "null and no value whatsoever." The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) also called it "null and void." ECOWAS stated that Mali was an "indivisible entity." The United States and the French Foreign Ministry also rejected the declaration. The MNLA's control of the region was disputed by the Malian government. It was also disputed by Islamist insurgent groups in the Sahara. A rift developed between the MNLA and these Islamist groups during this period.

History in this region involves many changes in control. After the Berlin Conference, France assumed control of much of this land. In 1893, French soldiers led by Lieutenant Gaston Boiteux annexed Timbuktu. The area became part of the French Sudan colony. The name of this colony changed several times. It was known as Upper Senegal and Middle Niger, and later Senegambia and Niger. In 1960, Mali became independent from France. Since independence, the Tuareg people have led four major rebellions against Malian rule. These occurred in 1962, 1990, 2007, and 2012.

Conflict intensified in 2012 as different groups fought for control. The MNLA and an Islamist group called Ansar Dine initially worked together. They took control of Kidal and Gao in March 2012. They captured Timbuktu on 1 April. However, a pact to merge into an Islamist state caused problems.

The MNLA later withdrew from this pact. Fighting broke out between the MNLA and the Islamists. In June 2012, the Battle of Gao and Timbuktu occurred. Islamist groups took control of Gao and Timbuktu, driving out the MNLA. By 12 July, Islamist groups had overrun all remaining MNLA towns.

In January 2013, a new insurgency began. Islamist fundamentalist groups tried to take control of all of Mali. In response, France and Chad sent troops to support the Malian army. These forces launched an offensive to remove Islamist leaders. Tuareg nomadic groups helped the coalition retake several northern towns. The MNLA provided guides and logistical services to French troops. However, the MNLA did not allow the Malian army into their areas. This was due to accusations of crimes against the Tuareg people. The fighting remained difficult for the local population.

A peace deal was finally reached in June 2013. This agreement was made between the MNLA and the Malian government. The MNLA renounced its claim to independence. In exchange, the deal provided the Tuareg with greater autonomy. Autonomy means they have more power to manage their own local affairs. This allowed the northern part of the country to participate in the Malian presidential elections. The region remains a part of the country of Mali today.