Editing Azawad (section)

==Politics==
[[File:Mali regions map.png|thumb|right|The MNLA declared that Azawad consisted of the regions of [[Gao Region|Gao]], [[Kidal Region|Kidal]], and [[Timbuktu]], as well as the north-east half of the [[Mopti Region]].]]

The MNLA in its declaration of independence announced the first political institutions of the state of Azawad. It included:<ref>Salima Tlemçani (7 April 2012) [http://www.elwatan.com/une/le-mali-dans-la-tourmente-aqmi-brouille-les-cartes-a-l-azawad-07-04-2012-165810_108.php "Le mali dans la tourmente : AQMi brouille les cartes à l’Azawad"], El Watan.</ref>
* An executive committee, directed by [[Mahmoud Ag Aghaly]].
* A revolutionary council, directed by Abdelkrim Ag Tahar.
* A consultative council, directed by Mahamed Ag Tahadou.
* The general staff of the Liberation Army, directed by [[Mohamed Ag Najem]].

Although the MNLA claimed responsibility for managing the country "until the appointment of a national authority" in their [[Azawad Declaration of Independence|declaration of independence]], it has acknowledged the presence of rival armed groups in the region, including [[Islamism|Islamist]] fighters under [[Ansar Dine]], the [[Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa]], and [[Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb]] (AQIM). The MNLA did not establish a formal government, though it pledged to draft a constitution establishing Azawad as a democracy.<ref name="udi"/> The main government building is called the Palace of Azawad by the MNLA. It is a heavily guarded building in central Gao that served as the office of the [[Gao Region]]'s governor prior to the [[Tuareg rebellion (2012)|rebellion]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/mali/9190808/Malians-protest-against-Azawad-independence.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120406211320/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/mali/9190808/Malians-protest-against-Azawad-independence.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=6 April 2012|title=Malians protest against Azawad independence|work=The Telegraph|date=6 April 2012|access-date=6 April 2012}}</ref>

The military wing of Ansar Dine rejected the MNLA's declaration of independence hours after it was issued.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.modernghana.com/news/387765/1/confusion-in-mali-after-tuareg-independen.html|title=Confusion in Mali after Tuareg independence claim|date=6 April 2012|access-date=6 April 2012}}</ref> Ansar Dine vowed to establish Islamic ''[[sharia]]'' law over all of Mali.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.vision.org/visionmedia/article.aspx?id=54403|title=Qaeda using Mali crisis to expand, France warns|date=4 April 2012|access-date=6 April 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130113100229/http://www.vision.org/visionmedia/article.aspx?id=54403|archive-date=13 January 2013}}</ref> At a conference, the Azawadis voiced their disapproval of radical Islamic groups, and asked all foreign fighters to disarm and leave the country.<ref>{{cite news|title=Azawad rejects armed groups|author=Jemal Oumar|work=Magharebia|date=30 April 2012|url=http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/features/2012/04/30/feature-02}}</ref>

According to a [[Chatham House]] Africa expert, Mali was not to be considered "definitively partitioned". The peoples who constitute a major share of the population of northern Mali, such as Songhai and Fulani, considered themselves to be Malian and had no interest in a separate Tuareg-dominated state.<ref>[http://www.heraldsun.com.au/ipad/rebels-declare-independent-state/story-fn6s850w-1226320870085 "Rebels declare independent state"], ''Herald Sun'', 7 April 2012.</ref> On the day of the declaration of independence, about 200 Malian northerners staged a rally in Bamako, declaring their rejection of the partition and their willingness to fight to drive out the rebels.<ref>{{cite news|first=Bate|last=Felix|title=AU, US reject Mali rebels' independence declaration|agency=Reuters|date=6 April 2012|url=https://news.yahoo.com/mali-rebels-declare-independence-north-102935627.html}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/mali/9190808/Malians-protest-against-Azawad-independence.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120406211320/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/mali/9190808/Malians-protest-against-Azawad-independence.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=6 April 2012|title=Malians protest against Azawad independence|date=7 April 2012|work=The New York Times|access-date=7 April 2012}}</ref> A day later, 2,000 protesters joined a new rally against separatism.<ref>{{Citation|title=Protests in {{sic|Bam|oko|nolink=y}} as Malians reject independence of North|work=Euronews|date=8 April 2012|url=http://www.euronews.com/2012/04/08/protests-in-bamoko-as-malians-reject-independence-of-north/}}</ref>

According to [[Ramtane Lamamra]], the [[African Union]]'s peace and security commissioner, the African Union has discussed sending a military force to reunify Mali. He said that negotiations with terrorists had been ruled out, but negotiations with other armed factions were still open.<ref>{{cite news |last=Nossiter |first=Adam |title=Jihadists' Fierce Justice Drives Thousands to Flee Mali |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/18/world/africa/jidhadists-fierce-justice-drives-thousands-to-flee-mali.html?pagewanted=all |newspaper=The New York Times |date=18 July 2012 |access-date=12 August 2012 |archive-date=18 July 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120718100629/http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/18/world/africa/jidhadists-fierce-justice-drives-thousands-to-flee-mali.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all |url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Administrative divisions===
Azawad, as proclaimed by the MNLA, includes the [[Regions of Mali|regions]] of [[Gao Region|Gao]], [[Timbuktu Region|Timbuktu]], [[Kidal Region|Kidal]], and the northeast half of [[Mopti Region|Mopti]]; until 1991, when the new Kidal Region was created, it formed the northern portion of Gao Region. As such, it includes the three biggest cities of [[Timbuktu]], [[Gao]] and [[Kidal]].<ref name="AlJaz08"/>