Editing Azawad (section)

==Name==
According to the Scottish explorer and scientist [[Robert Brown (Scottish botanist from Caithness)|Robert Brown]], Azawad is an Arabic [[Corruption (linguistics)|corruption]] of the [[Berber language|Berber]] word ''[[Azawagh]]'', referring to a dry river basin that covers western Niger, northeastern Mali, and southern Algeria.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=i2AMAAAAYAAJ&q=azawad&pg=PA198|title=Annotations to The history and description of Africa, by Leo Africanus|author=Robert Brown|year=1896|publisher=The Hakluyt Society|access-date=3 April 2012}}</ref> The name translates to "land of [[transhumance]]".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.courrierinternational.com/article/2012/03/01/rebelles-touaregs-pourquoi-nous-reprenons-les-armes|title=Rebelles touaregs : "Pourquoi nous reprenons les armes..."|language=fr|author=Germain B. Nama|date=1 March 2012|work=Courrier International |access-date=5 April 2012}}</ref>

On 6 April 2012, in a statement posted to its website, the MNLA declared the independence of Azawad from Mali. In this Azawad Declaration of Independence, the name ''Independent State of Azawad'' was used<ref name=DOI>{{cite web|url=http://www.mnlamov.net/component/content/article/169-declaration-dindependance-de-lazawad.html |title=Déclaration d'indépendence de l'Azawad |author=Bilal Ag Acherif |author-link=Bilal Ag Acherif |date=6 April 2012 |publisher=[[National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad]] |language=fr |trans-title=Declaration of Independence of Azawad |access-date=6 April 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121018123246/http://www.mnlamov.net/component/content/article/169-declaration-dindependance-de-lazawad.html |archive-date=18 October 2012 }}</ref> ({{langx|fr|link=no|État indépendant de l'Azawad}},<ref name=DOI/> {{langx|ar|دولة أزواد المستقلة}},<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ar.mnlamov.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=176:2012-04-06-02-18-09&catid=1:latest-news&Itemid=50|script-title=ar:بيان استقلال أزواد|author=Bilal Ag Acherif|author-link=Bilal Ag Acherif|date=6 April 2012|publisher=[[National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad]]|language=ar|trans-title=Declaration of Independence of Azawad|access-date=28 April 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120512123642/http://ar.mnlamov.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=176%3A2012-04-06-02-18-09&catid=1%3Alatest-news&Itemid=50|archive-date=12 May 2012}}</ref> ''{{Transliteration|ar|Dawlat Azawād al-Mustaqillah}}''). On 26 May, the MNLA and its former co-belligerent Ansar Dine announced a pact in which they would merge to form an Islamist state; according to the media the new long name of Azawad was used in this pact. But this new name is not clear – sources list several variants of it: the ''Islamic Republic of Azawad''<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-18224004|title=Mali Tuareg and Islamist rebels agree on Islamist state|date=27 May 2012|work=BBC News|access-date=31 May 2012}}</ref> ({{langx|fr|link=no|République islamique de l'Azawad}}),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://maliactu.net/13418/proclamation-de-la-republique-islamique-de-lazawad-la-vraie-face-de-lirredentisme-et-de-lintegrisme-saffiche|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120713103038/http://maliactu.net/13418/proclamation-de-la-republique-islamique-de-lazawad-la-vraie-face-de-lirredentisme-et-de-lintegrisme-saffiche|url-status=dead|archive-date=13 July 2012|title=Proclamation de la République Islamique de l'Azawad : La vraie face de l'irrédentisme et de l'intégrisme s'affiche|author=Allimam Mahamane|date=31 May 2012|publisher=MaliActu|language=fr|access-date=31 May 2012}}</ref> the ''Islamic State of Azawad'' ({{langx|fr|link=no|État islamique de l'Azawad}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lefigaro.fr/international/2012/05/27/01003-20120527ARTFIG00058-nord-mali-la-rebellion-cree-un-etat-islamique.php|title=Nord-Mali: la rébellion crée un État islamique|date=27 May 2012|work=Le Figaro|language=fr|access-date=31 May 2012}}</ref>), the ''Republic of Azawad''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2012/05/27/world/africa/mali-rebel-groups/index.html?iref=allsearch|title=Mali rebel groups join forces, vowing an Islamic state|author=Katarina Höije|date=27 May 2012|publisher=CNN|access-date=31 May 2012}}</ref> Azawad authorities did not officially confirm any change of name. Later reports indicated the MNLA had decided to withdraw from the pact with Ansar Dine. In a new statement, dated on 9 June, the MNLA used the name ''State of Azawad'' ({{langx|fr|link=no|État de l'Azawad}}).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mnlamov.net/index.php?view=article&catid=38:constantes&id=182:mis-en-place-un-conseil-transitoire-de-letat-de-lazawadctea-&tmpl=component&print=1&layout=default&page=|title=Mis en place un Conseil Transitoire de l'Etat de l'AZAWAD (CTEA)|author=Bilal Ag Acherif|author-link=Bilal Ag Acherif|date=9 June 2012|publisher=[[National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad]]|language=fr|trans-title=Declaration of Independence of Azawad|access-date=11 June 2012}}</ref> The MNLA produced a list of the 28 members of the Transitional Council of the State of Azawad ([[French language|French]]: ''Conseil de transition de l'État de l'Azawad'', CTEA) serving as a provisional government with President [[Bilal Ag Acherif]] to manage the new State of Azawad.