Azawad
Independent State of Azawad | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012–2013 | |||||||||
%22%3E%3Ctext%20x%3D%2250%25%22%20y%3D%2250%25%22%20text-anchor%3D%22middle%22%20dominant-baseline%3D%22middle%22%20fill%3D%22%2354595d%22%20font-size%3D%2216%22%20font-family%3D%22sans-serif%22%3EFlag%20of%20Azawad%3C%2Ftext%3E%3C%2Fg%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E) | |||||||||
%22%3E%3Ctext%20x%3D%2250%25%22%20y%3D%2250%25%22%20text-anchor%3D%22middle%22%20dominant-baseline%3D%22middle%22%20fill%3D%22%2354595d%22%20font-size%3D%2216%22%20font-family%3D%22sans-serif%22%3EProjection%20of%20Azawad%20in%20green%20and%20southern%20Mali%20in%20dark%20grey%3C%2Ftext%3E%3C%2Fg%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E) Azawad, as claimed by the MNLA, in green, with southern Mali in dark grey | |||||||||
| Status | Unrecognized state | ||||||||
| Capital | |||||||||
| Largest city | Gao | ||||||||
| Common languages | |||||||||
| Demonyms |
| ||||||||
| President | |||||||||
• 2012 | Bilal Ag Acherif | ||||||||
| Vice President | |||||||||
• 2012 | Mahamadou Djeri Maïga | ||||||||
| Historical era | Northern Mali conflict | ||||||||
| 6 April 2012 | |||||||||
| 26–29 June 2012 | |||||||||
• Fall of Ansongo | 12 July 2012 | ||||||||
• Ouagadougou Agreements | 18 June 2013 | ||||||||
| |||||||||
Azawad, (Tuareg: ⴰⵣⴰⵓⴰⴷ; Arabic: أزواد) officially known as the Independent State of Azawad, was a short-lived unrecognised state lasting from 2012–2013. The National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA) unilaterally declared independence in 2012, after a Tuareg rebellion drove the Malian Armed Forces away from the region.
Azawad, as claimed by the MNLA, comprised the Malian regions of Timbuktu (including present-day Taoudénit Region), Kidal, Gao, as well as a part of Mopti Region, encompassing about 60 percent of Mali's total land area. Gao is its largest city and served as the temporary capital, while Timbuktu is the second-largest city, and was intended to be the capital by the independence forces.
On 6 April 2012, in a statement posted to its website, the MNLA declared "irrevocably" the independence of Azawad from Mali. In Gao on the same day, Bilal Ag Acherif, the secretary-general of the MNLA, signed the Azawadian declaration of independence, which also declared the MNLA as the interim administrators of Azawad until a "national authority" could be formed. Acherif subsequently became "president of the transitional council". The proclamations were never recognised by any foreign entity, and the MNLA's claim to have de facto control of the Azawad region was disputed by both the Malian government and Islamist insurgent groups in the Sahara. At this time, a rift was developing with the Islamists. The Economic Community of West African States, which refused to recognise Azawad and called the declaration of its independence "null and void", warned it could send troops into the disputed region in support of the Malian claim.
Tuareg military leader Moussa Ag Acharatoumane, affiliated with the Movement for the Salvation of Azawad, claimed that jihadi groups, and the Ansar Dine in particular, had been in the region of Azawad for 10 years before the circumstances which led to the Azawadian declaration of independence. Locals had heard of their extremist views in respect to sharia then subsequently distanced themselves from the jihadis. Ag Acharatoumane further asserted that the death of Muammar Gaddafi destabilised the political landscape for Sahelians from Mali and Niger to such a degree that it was described as "disastrous". The Tuareg rebels allegedly went into a "survival mode" for five years after his death which were fraught with socio-political and socioeconomic crises. Disorganised and unaware of moderate militias, some joined jihadi groups but left when acquainted with better options; they aimed to join movements that were "good" in nature and organised for humanitarian causes for the betterment of Azawad. When asked about the speculated alliance between the MNLA and the Ansar Dine, Ag Acharatoumane said he "personally did not know of the alliance" and referred back to the distance Azawadian locals kept from them.
On 14 February 2013, the MNLA renounced its claim of independence for Azawad and asked the Malian government to start negotiations on its future status. The MNLA ended the ceasefire in September of the same year after government forces reportedly opened fire on unarmed protesters.