Editing Azawad (section)

{{Short description|Tuareg name for a territory in northern Mali}}
{{For|the geographical region spanning several Sahelian countries|Azawagh}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}}
{{Infobox country
| native_name            = {{ubl|{{native name|tmh|ⴰⵣⴰⵓⴰⴷ / Azawad}}|{{native name|ar|دولة أزواد}}}}
| common_name            = Azawad / Azawagh
| conventional_long_name = Azawad
| status                 = [[List of historical unrecognized states|Unrecognized state]]
| p1                     = Mali
| flag_p1                = Flag of Mali.svg
| s1                     = Mali
| flag_s1                = Flag of Mali.svg
| image_flag             = MNLA flag.svg
| flag_alt               = Flag of Azawad
| flag                   = Flag of Azawad
| image_coat             = 
| symbol_type            = Coat of arms
| image_map              = Azawad (orthographic projection).svg
| alt_map                = Projection of Azawad in green and southern [[Mali]] in dark grey
| map_caption            = Azawad, as claimed by the MNLA, in green, with southern Mali in dark grey
| capital                = [[Timbuktu]] {{small|(proclaimed)}}<br />[[Gao]] {{small|(provisional)}}
| largest_city           = [[Gao]]
| common_languages       = [[French language|French]]{{·}}[[Fula language|Fula]]{{·}}[[Hassaniya Arabic]]{{·}}[[Songhay languages|Songhay]]{{·}}[[Tuareg languages|Tamashek]]
| era                    = [[Northern Mali conflict (2012–present)|Northern Mali conflict]]
| religion               = 
| title_leader           = President
| leader1                = [[Bilal Ag Acherif]]
| year_leader1           = 2012
| deputy1                = {{nowrap|[[Mahamadou Djeri Maïga]]}}
| year_deputy1           = 2012
| title_deputy           = Vice President
| event_start            = [[Azawad Declaration of Independence|Declaration of independence]]
| date_start             = 6 April
| year_start             = 2012
| event_end              = [[Battles of Gao and Timbuktu]]
| date_end               = 26–28 June
| year_end               = 2013
}}
{{Contains special characters|Tifinagh}}
[[File:Azawad in context.JPG|thumb|Map of Azawad, as claimed by the [[National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad|MNLA]]. Dark grey dots indicate regions with a [[Tuareg people|Tuareg]] majority. The west is mainly inhabited by [[beidane|Maures]], and the south by [[Sub-Saharan Africa|sub-Saharan]] peoples.]]
'''Azawad''', or '''Azawagh''' ([[Tuareg languages|Tuareg]]: '''Azawaɣ''', or '''Azawad''';<ref>{{cite web|title=Mouvement National de Liberation de l'Azawad|url=http://www.mnlamov.net/|website=Mouvement National de Liberation de l'Azawad|access-date=10 January 2018}}</ref> {{langx|ar|أزواد}}), was a short-lived [[diplomatic recognition|unrecognised state]] lasting between 2012 and 2013. Azawagh (''Azawaɣ'') is the generic [[Tuareg|Tuareg Berber]] name for all Tuareg Berber areas{{citation needed|date=September 2024}}, especially the northern half of [[Mali]] and northern and western [[Niger]]. The [[Azawadi declaration of independence]] was declared unilaterally by the [[National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad]] (MNLA) in 2012, after [[Tuareg rebellion (2012)|a Tuareg rebellion]] drove the [[Malian Armed Forces]] from the region.

Azawad, as claimed by the MNLA, comprised the [[Regions of Mali|Malian regions]] of [[Tombouctou Region|Timbuktu]], [[Kidal Region|Kidal]], [[Gao Region|Gao]], as well as a part of [[Mopti Region]],<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-17576725 |title=Mali Tuareg rebels control Timbuktu as troops flee |date=1 April 2012 |work=BBC News |access-date=3 April 2012}}</ref> encompassing about 60 percent of Mali's total land area. [[Gao]] is its largest city and served as the temporary capital,<ref name="gao">{{cite news |url=http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2012/04/20124644412359539.html |title=Tuaregs claim 'independence' from Mali |publisher=Al Jazeera |date=6 April 2012 |access-date=6 April 2012}}</ref> while [[Timbuktu]] is the second-largest city, and was intended to be the capital by the independence forces.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.muslimnews.co.uk/news/news.php?article=22090 |title=Mali: A scramble for power |date=8 April 2012 |publisher=The Muslim News |access-date=8 April 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120526114332/http://www.muslimnews.co.uk/news/news.php?article=22090 |archive-date=26 May 2012}}</ref>

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 movement, signed the Azawadi declaration of independence, which also declared the MNLA as the interim administrators of Azawad until a "national authority" could be formed.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/rest-of-world/Mali-rebels-declare-independence-in-north/articleshow/12556649.cms|work=The Times of India|date=6 April 2012|title=Mali rebels declare independence in north|access-date=6 April 2012}}</ref> The proclamation was never recognised by any foreign entity,<ref name="udi">{{cite news|url=http://english.alarabiya.net/articles/2012/04/06/205763.html|publisher=Al Arabiya|title=Tuareg rebels declare the independence of Azawad, north of Mali|date=6 April 2012|access-date=6 April 2012}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/04/06/rift-appears-between-islamists-and-main-rebel-group-in-mali/|title=Rift Appears Between Islamists and Main Rebel Group in Mali|author=J. David Goodman|date=6 April 2012|work=The New York Times|access-date=7 April 2012}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.panapress.com/ECOWAS-calls-declaration-of-Azawad-independence---null-and-void-----12-824949-100-lang2-index.html|title=ECOWAS calls declaration of Azawad independence ''null and void''|publisher=Panapress.com|date=6 April 2012|access-date=9 June 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/334244/20120427/ecowas-mali-guinea-bissau-military.htm|title=Ecowas To Send 3,000 Troops To Mali, Guinea-Bissau To Reinstate Civilian Rule|work=International Business Times|date=27 April 2012|access-date=9 June 2012}}</ref>

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 Azawadi declaration of independence.<ref>{{Citation|last=TV5MONDE|title=MALI : Moussa ag achara Toumane invité de TV5MONDE|date=2018-04-25|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrwBuTZKXPE |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211212/BrwBuTZKXPE| archive-date=2021-12-12 |url-status=live|access-date=2018-04-26}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://msa-azawad.com/|title=Mouvement pour le Salut de l'Azawad|website=msa-azawad.com|language=fr-fr|access-date=2018-04-26}}</ref> 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 [[Sahel]]ians 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 [[political sociology|socio-political]] and [[socioeconomics|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 Azawadi locals kept from them.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.france24.com/en/20120605-mali-strange-bedfellows-mnla-ansar-dine-al-qaeda-aqim-islamists-tuareg|title=Strange bedfellows: The MNLA's on-again, off-again marriage with Ansar Dine - France 24|date=2012-06-05|work=France 24|access-date=2018-04-26|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.memri.org/reports/mnlas-fight-secular-state-azawad|title=The MNLA's Fight for a Secular State of Azawad|work=MEMRI|access-date=2018-04-26|language=en}}</ref>

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.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ansa.it/ansalatina/notizie/rubriche/mundo/20130214160535527676.html |title=Ansa.it - Ansalatina - Tuaregs de Mali renuncian a crear Estado independiente |website=www.ansa.it |access-date=26 January 2022 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130413012549/http://www.ansa.it/ansalatina/notizie/rubriche/mundo/20130214160535527676.html |archive-date=13 April 2013 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The MNLA ended the ceasefire in September of the same year after government forces reportedly opened fire on unarmed protesters.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2013/11/mali-tuareg-fighters-end-ceasefire-2013113093234673103.html|title=Mali's Tuareg fighters end ceasefire|date=30 November 2013|access-date=28 December 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-25161049|title=Tuareg separatist group in Mali 'ends ceasefire'|date=29 November 2013|access-date=28 December 2013}}</ref>