Editing Azawad (section)

===Unilateral declaration of independence===
{{main|Azawadi declaration of independence}}
[[File:Le Mali confronté aux sanctions et à lavancée des rebelles islamistes (6904946068).jpg|thumb|Tuareg separatist rebels in Mali, January 2012]]
[[File:Les rebelles touaregs joignent leurs forces dans le nord du Mali (8248043080).jpg|thumb|Azawad separatists, December 2012]]
The [[National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad]] (MNLA) [[Azawadi declaration of independence|declared Northern Mali an independent state]] that they named Azawad on 6 April 2012 and pledged to draft a constitution establishing it as a democracy. Their statement acknowledged the United Nations charter and said the new state would uphold its principles.<ref name="udi"/><ref>{{cite news|url=https://af.reuters.com/article/maliNews/idAFL6E8F605520120406|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120725190147/http://af.reuters.com/article/maliNews/idAFL6E8F605520120406|url-status=dead|archive-date=25 July 2012|title=Mali rebels declare independence in north|author=Bate Felix|date=6 April 2012|access-date=6 April 2012|work=Reuters}}</ref>

In an interview with ''[[France 24]]'', an MNLA spokesman declared the independence of Azawad:

{{blockquote|Mali is an anarchic state. Therefore, we have gathered a national liberation movement to put in an army capable of securing our land and an executive office capable of forming democratic institutions. We declare the independence of Azawad from this day on.|sign=[[Moussa Ag Assarid]], MLNA spokesman, 6 April 2012<ref name=spokesman/>}}

In the same interview, Assarid promised that they would respect the colonial frontiers that separate the region from its neighbours; he insisted that Azawad's declaration of independence had international legality.<ref name=spokesman>{{cite news|url=http://www.france24.com/en/20120406-france-24-exclusive-tuareg-rebels-declare-independence-mlna-mali-ansar-dine-azawad|title=Tuareg rebels declare independence in north Mali|publisher=France 24|date=6 April 2012|access-date=6 April 2012}}</ref>

No foreign entity recognised Azawad. The MNLA's declaration was immediately rejected by the [[African Union]], who declared it "null and no value whatsoever". The French Foreign Ministry said it would not recognise the unilateral partition of [[Mali]], but it called for negotiations between the two entities to address "the demands of the northern Tuareg population [which] are old and for too long had not received adequate and necessary responses". The United States also rejected the declaration of independence.<ref name="reject">{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mali-idUSBRE83507L20120406|work=Reuters|title=AU, US reject Mali rebels' independence declaration|first=Bate|last=Felix|date=6 April 2012|access-date=7 April 2012}}</ref>

The MNLA was estimated to have up to 3,000 soldiers. [[Economic Community of West African States|ECOWAS]] declared Azawad "null and void", and said that Mali is "one and [an] indivisible entity". ECOWAS said that it would use force, if necessary, to put down the rebellion.<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=Afrique en Ligue |title=Azawad independence: ECOWAS calls declaration of Azawad independence 'null and void' |date=7 April 2012 |url=http://www.afriquejet.com/azawad-independence-mali-2012040736597.html |access-date=8 April 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120409143744/http://www.afriquejet.com/azawad-independence-mali-2012040736597.html |archive-date=9 April 2012 }}</ref> The French government indicated it could provide logistical support.<ref name="reject"/>

On 26 May, the MNLA and its former co-belligerent Ansar Dine announced a pact to merge to form an [[Islamist]] state.<ref name="BBC265">{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-18224004|title=Mali Tuareg and Islamist rebels agree on Sharia state|date=26 May 2012|access-date=27 May 2012|work=BBC News}}</ref> Later reports indicated the MNLA withdrew from the pact, distancing itself from Ansar Dine.<ref name="Big">{{cite news|url=http://www.fasozine.com/index.php/le-blog-de-barkbiiga/le-blog-de-barkbiiga/8518-nord-mali-le-mnla-refuse-de-se-mettre-len-sardiner|title=Nord Mali: le MNLA refuse de se mettre "en sardine"!|last=Biiga|first=Bark|date=3 June 2012|access-date=3 June 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120608054030/http://www.fasozine.com/index.php/le-blog-de-barkbiiga/le-blog-de-barkbiiga/8518-nord-mali-le-mnla-refuse-de-se-mettre-len-sardiner|archive-date=8 June 2012|url-status=dead|language=fr}}</ref><ref name="voanews.com">{{cite news|url=https://www.voanews.com/a/mali-islamists-reopen-talks-with-tuareg-rebels/1146352.html|title=Mali Islamists Reopen Talks With Tuareg Rebels|date=2 June 2012|access-date=2 June 2012|publisher=Voice of America}}</ref> MNLA and Ansar Dine continued to clash,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-18377168|title=Mali rebel groups 'clash in Kidal'|date=8 June 2012|work=BBC News}}</ref> culminating in the [[Battle of Gao and Timbuktu]] on 27 June, in which the Islamist groups [[Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa]] and Ansar Dine took control of Gao, driving out the MNLA. The following day, Ansar Dine announced that it was in control of Timbuktu and Kidal, the three biggest cities of northern Mali.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mali-crisis-idUSBRE85R15720120628|title=Islamists declare full control of Mali's north|author=Tiemoko Diallo and Adama Diarra|date=28 June 2012|work=Reuters|access-date=29 June 2012}}</ref> Ansar Dine continued its offensive against MNLA positions and overran all remaining MNLA held towns by 12 July with the fall of [[Ansongo]].<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://www.france24.com/en/20120712-al-qaeda-linked-islamists-drive-malis-tuaregs-last-stronghold-ansogo-timbuktu-mnla-ansar-dine-mujao | title=Al Qaeda-linked Islamists drive Mali's Tuaregs from last stronghold| date=12 July 2012}}</ref>

In December 2012, the MNLA agreed on Mali's national unity and territorial integrity in talks with both the central government and Ansar Dine.<ref>[http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2012/12/201212420515159568.html "Mali rebels agree to respect 'national unity'"], ''Aljazeera'', Retrieved 2012-12-05</ref>