National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad
ⵜⴰⵏⴾⵔⴰ ⵏ ⵜⵓⵎⴰⵙⵜ ⴹ ⴰⵙⵍⴰⵍⵓ ⵏ ⴰⵣⴰⵓⴷ الحركة الوطنية لتحرير أزواد Mouvement National pour la Libération de l'Azawad
Participant in Tuareg rebellions
File:MNLA emblem.png
Active	October 2011 – present
Ideology	Secular nationalism[vague][1]
Leaders	Bilal Ag Acherif[2] (General Secretary) Mahmoud Ag Aghaly (President of the political bureau) Ag Mohamed Najem (head of military operations) Moussa Ag Acharatoumane Ibrahim Ag Bahanga
Area of operations	Azawad/northern Mali
Strength	3000-5000
Part of	Azawad
Allies	Libya (under Jamahiriya) Ansar Dine (formerly each had some element of support)
Opponents	Mali  Algeria National Liberation Front of Azawad (FLNA)
Battles/wars	2012 insurgency in the Azawad

This article contains Tifinagh text. Without proper rendering support, you may see question marks, boxes, or other symbols instead of Tifinagh letters.

The National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad or the Azawad National Liberation Movement ^[3] (Tamasheq: ⵜⴰⵏⴾⵔⴰ ⵏ ⵜⵓⵎⴰⵙⵜ ⴹ ⴰⵙⵍⴰⵍⵓ ⵏ ⴰⵣⴰⵓⴷ^[4] Tankra n Tumast ḍ Aslalu n Azawd, Arabic: الحركة الوطنية لتحرير أزواد‎, French: Mouvement National pour la Libération de l'Azawad; MNLA), formerly National Movement of Azawad^[5] (French: Mouvement national de l'Azawad; MNA) is a political and military organisation based in Azawad/northern Mali. The movement is made up of Tuareg, and some of them are believed to have previously fought in the Libyan army,^[6] during the 2011 Libyan civil war (though other Tuareg MNLA fighters were also on the side of the National Transitional Council) and returned to Mali after the 2011 Libyan civil war. The movement was founded in October 2011 and had stated that it includes other Saharan peoples. The Malian government has accused the movement of having links to Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb.^[7] However, the MNLA deny the claims. By 1 April, the MNLA, along with Ansar Dine, were in control of virtually all of northern Mali, including the three biggest cities of Kidal, Gao and Timbuktu. On 6 April, the MNLA unilaterally declared the independence of Azawad from Mali. On 26 May, the MNLA and Ansar Dine announced a pact in which they would merge to form an Islamist state, renamed the Islamic Republic of Azawad.^[8]

History[link]

Since 1916 there have been at least five Tuareg rebellions. After the failure of the previous rebellion, Tuareg fighters left for Libya where they were integrated into the Libyan Army.^[9] At the end of 2011, following the defeat of Libyan Arab Jamahiriya several Tuareg from the Libyan Army^[10] and the rebel National Transitional Council returned to the Azawad regions of northern Mali.^[11][12]) Many fighters returned from Libya for either financial reasons, such as losing their savings, or due to the alleged racism of NTC fighters and militias.^[13]

The MNLA was said to have been formed after a fusion of such groups as the Northern Mali Tuareg Movement. An alleged influx of arms intended for rebels in Libya led to a huge cache in the largely ungoverned desert areas around where the Tuareg live and causing concern that much of the heavy weaponry remains unaccounted for and could be sold to the highest bidder.^[14][15] Though some analysis has denied the connections to either AQIM or Gaddafi and the Libyan civil war, although the potency of this rebellion was still read as being influenced from weapons from Libya, as well as leftovers from previous rebellions in Azawad and even from Mali's army which were taken by defecting Arab and Tuareg personnel.^[5] The group is considered to be secular.^[16]

MNLA's adopted flag for the unrecognized state of Azawad.

They have also been accused by the government of Mali of cooperating with Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb.^[17] The MNLA have denied this claim.^[18]

The MNLA was founded in October 2011;^[19] though it is sometimes considered to have been founded more than a year earlier^[20] in relation to other such groups. The MNLA have presented themselves as a movement for the liberation of all the peoples of Azawad (Songhai, Arab, Fula and Tuareg).^[5][21] There were also rumours that the group has been supported by battle-hardened Tuaregs from Niger.^[22] On the subject of its composition, the MNLA has declared:

Factionalism[link]

The MNLA was rumoured to have factionalised, according to the sources in the Malian government,^[24] with the Islamist Ansar Dine claiming control of the region after the capture of several cities,^[25] previously attributed to the MNLA. Though the international media has linked the MNLA to Ansar Dine and AQIM, the MNLA has distanced itself from both groups, stating that their sole goal is the independence of Azawad.^[26] However, after the fall of Timbuktu it said that Azawad would be governed along with Ansar Dine.

Independence fight[link]

MNLA launched its armed campaign in January 2012^[27][28] to free three regions of Mali from the central government's control^[15] and seeking the independence of Azawad.^[29]

The MNLA's fight is for their claim of Malian Azawad. (Area captured is indicated.)

In January, its fighters attacked Andéramboukane, Menaka, Tessalit, Niafunke and Aguelhoc.^[30] They were reported to be in control of parts of northern Mali, such as Menaka on 1 February.^[31] During that time the movement was said to have opened a fifth front in the town of Lere.^[32] At the end of January, they claimed to have shot down a Malian Air Force Mig-21 with the surface-to-air missiles acquired from NATO arms drops over Libya.^[14] The Armed Forces of Mali have also used helicopter gunships to target the group.^[20] On 4 February, the movement's fighters attacked government forces in Kidal with the aim of taking control of the town and occupying the two military bases there.^[33] Further towns were seized and re-seized over the course of February and March. The MLNA were also accused of a "massacre" though the evidence was frivolous. At the same time, following clashes in the north, Tuareg civilians were said to have left Bamako for fear of reprisals.^[34] The International Committee of the Red Cross also said that 3,500 people had fled across the border to Mauritania and that 10,000 people had crossed into Niger during the clashes.^[29] On 8 February, Tinzawaten was wrested from central government control after Malian troops took a "tactical withdrawal" following the death of one soldier and injuries to two other soldiers, amid calls by the United Nations for an halt to the offensive. One rebel was also killed and another was wounded, while the MNLA seized two military bases and the weapons storages there. The ICRC added that there were 30,000 internally displaced persons, while the UN said that over 20,000 people have fled to Burkina Faso, Algeria and Mauritania. The UN also warned of food shortages as a result of the fighting.^[35] In total, there were more than 100,000 refugees were displaced, with at least a quarter of them in Niger.^{[citation needed]} Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) planned to send a team to investigate the violence.^[36] It also condemned their actions and called for logistical support for Mali.^[37] After the March coup d'etat the MNLA, as well as Ansar Dine, took control of several small towns and also the bigger cities of Kidal, Gao and Timbuktu. Timbuktu was read by Reuters of being the culmination of the plan to capture northern Mali.^[38] The MNLA announced that by taking Timbuktu it sought to "dislodge Mali's remaining political and military administration" in the region and said that it would rule the region with Ansar Dine in opposition to the administration in Bamako.^[39]

On 6 April, in an interview with France 24, an MNLA spokesman declared the independence of Azawad as an independent state and said the movement would act as a provisional administration until the establishment of a government.^[40]

In the same interview, Attaher also promised that Azawad will "respect all the colonial frontiers that separate Azawad from its neighbours" and insisted that Azawad's declaration of independence has "some international legality."^[41] Two days following the declaration of independence, the Arab-dominated National Liberation Front of Azawad (FLNA) were formed to defend Timbuktu from alleged Tuareg domination.^[42]

Leadership[link]

One of the founding leaders is said to be Moussa Ag Acharatoumane.^[32] Another influential leader in the group was Ibrahim Ag Bahanga (as well as his father-in-law Hama Ag Sid’Ahmed, who was also a spokesman for a group in the previous rebellion) from the 1990 and 2006 rebellions. After he was defeated and forced into exile in Libya, he was said to have met with other leaders of the 1990 rebellion who had taken up posts in a new unit of the Libyan army to fight desert warfare. Ibrahim sought to have a proficient force to fight against the Malian state and outside the media spotlight. However, he was killed on 26 August 2011. One of the officers he had met in Libya was Colonel Ag Mohamed Najem,^[5] who is said by the movement to be the head of its military wing.^[20] He is of Malian origin but resigned from the Libyan Army shortly after the uprising to join the Tuareg rebellion in Mali.^[15] Colonel Dilal Ag Alsherif is another military leader of the movement.^[43] There are said to be about 40 officers in the MNLA movement.^[5] There are also deserters from the Malian Army, including officers. Colonel Nagim is one such officer, who led the charge to capture two cities.^[44] The General Secretary of the movement is Bilal Ag Acherif.^[20] The spokesman for the MNLA's political wing is Hama Ag Mahmoud.^[45] Following the independence declaration, Mahmoud Ag Aghaly was appointed as the head of the interim Executive Committee of the MNLA that was said to govern Azawad.^[46]

See also[link]

• Algerian Department of Intelligence and Security (DRS)
• Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official website

Leader interviews

• Interview with a leader of MNLA on BBC, Moussa Ag Acharatoumane
• Telephone interview with Abdoulkarim Ag Matafa, chief of operations of the MNLA (Voice of America) (French)
• Interview with Moussa Ag Acharatoumane founding member of the MNA, human rights officer of the MNLA (Voice of America) (French)
• Interview with Hama Ag Sid Ahmed, spokesperson for the MNLA (France24) (French).

ⴰⵣⴰⵓⴷ أزواد Azawad
Flag
Azawad, as claimed by the MNLA, in green, with southern Mali in dark grey
Capital		Gao (interim) Timbuktu (proclaimed)[1] 16°16′N 0°03′W / 16.267°N 0.05°W / 16.267; -0.05
Largest city		Gao
Spoken languages		Tuareg Languages, Arabic, Songhay, Fula, Bambara, French and others
Demonym		Azawadi
Government		Transitional council
-	President	Mahmoud Ag Aghaly
Independence		From Mali
-	Proclaimed	6 April 2012[2][3]
-	Recognition	Unrecognized
Time zone		GMT (UTC+0)
-	Summer (DST)	Not observed (UTC+0)
Drives on the		Right[citation needed]
Calling code		223[citation needed]

This article contains Tifinagh text. Without proper rendering support, you may see question marks, boxes, or other symbols instead of Tifinagh letters.

This article contains Arabic text, written from right to left in a cursive style with some letters joined. Without proper rendering support, you may see unjoined Arabic letters written left-to-right instead of right-to-left or other symbols instead of Arabic script.

Map of Azawad, as claimed by the MNLA: regions with Tuareg majority marked with dark grey dots, the west is mainly inhabited by Moors, the south by Sub-Saharan peoples.

Azawad (Tuareg: ⴰⵣⴰⵓⴷ, Azawd; Arabic: أزواد ‎, Azawād; French: Azawad) is an unrecognised state in North Africa unilaterally declared by the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA) in 2012 after a Tuareg rebellion drove the Malian Army from the territory. Azawad, as claimed by the MNLA, comprises the Malian regions of Timbuktu, Kidal, Gao, as well as a part of Mopti region,^[4] encompassing about 60 percent of Mali's claimed total land area. Azawad borders Burkina Faso to the south, Mauritania to the west and northwest, Algeria to the north and northeast, and Niger to the east and southeast, with undisputed Mali to its southwest. It straddles a portion of the Sahara and the Sahelian zone. Gao is its largest city and the temporary capital,^[5] while Timbuktu is the second largest city, and intended to be the permanent capital.

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" is formed.^[6] The proclamation has yet to be recognised by a foreign entity,^[2] and even the MNLA's claim to have de facto control of the Azawad region is disputed.^[7] The Economic Community of West African States, which refused to recognise Azawad and called the declaration of its independence "null and void", has said it may send troops into the disputed region in support of the Malian claim.^[8][9] 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.^[10]

Name[link]

According to Robert Brown, Azawad is an Arabic corruption of the Berber word "Azawagh", a dry river basin that covers western Niger, northeastern Mali, and southern Algeria.^[11] The name translates to "land of transhumance".^[12]

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^[3] (French: État indépendant de l’Azawad^[3], Arabic: دولة أزواد المستقلة‎^[13], 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 media new long name of Azawad was used in this pact. But this new name is not clear – sources list few variants of it: the Islamic Republic of Azawad^[14] (French: Republique islamique de l’Azawad^[15]), the Islamic State of Azawad (French: État islamique de l’Azawad^[16]), the Republic of Azawad^[17]. Azawad authorities didn’t officially confirm any change of name yet.

History[link]

Gao, Mali and Songhai empires[link]

The Gao Empire owes its name to the town of Gao. In the ninth century CE, it was considered to be the most powerful West African kingdom.

In the early 14th century, the southern part of the region came under the control of the Mali Empire, including the peaceful annexation of Timbuktu by King Musa I in 1324, as he returned from his famous pilgrimage to Mecca.^[18]

With the power of the Mali Empire waning in the first half of the 15th century, the area around Timbuktu became relatively autonomous, although Maghsharan Tuareg^[who?] had a dominant position.^[19] Thirty years later however, the rising Songhay Empire expanded in Gao, absorbing Timbuktu in 1468 or 1469 and much of the surrounding area. The city was led, consecutively, by Sunni Ali Ber (1468–1492), Sunni Baru (1492–1493) and Askia Mohammad I (1493–1528). Although Sunni Ali Ber was in severe conflict with Timbuktu after its conquest, Askia Mohammad I created a golden age for both the Songhay Empire and Timbuktu through an efficient central and regional administration and allowed sufficient leeway for the city's commercial centers to flourish.^[19][20] With Gao the capital of the empire, Timbuktu enjoyed a relatively autonomous position. Merchants from Ghadames, Awjilah, and numerous other cities of North Africa gathered there to buy gold and slaves in exchange for the Saharan salt of Taghaza and for North African cloth and horses.^[21] Leadership of the Empire stayed in the Askia dynasty until 1591, when internal fights weakened the dynasty's grip.^[22]

Moroccan expedition[link]

Following the Battle of Tondibi in a village just north of Gao, the city was captured on 30 May 1591 by an expedition of 4,000 Andalusian Moriscos, 500 mercenaries and 2,500 auxiliaries, including slaves, dubbed the Arma. They were sent by the Saadi ruler of Morocco, Ahmad I al-Mansur, and were led by Morisco General Judar Pasha in search of gold mines. Pasha was born into a family of Spanish Muslims in Morocco, banished by the Spanish Crown following the failed Alpujarras uprising of 1568–71.^[23][24] The sacking of Gao marked the effective end of the Songhai as a regional power^[25][26] and its economic and intellectual decline,^[27] as increasing trans-atlantic trade routes – transporting African slaves, including leaders and scholars of Timbuktu – marginalised Gao and Timbuktu's role as trade and scholarly centers.^[28] The consequence of the Moroccan expedition was the formation of the Pashalik of Timbuktu. While initially controlling the Morocco – Timbuktu trade routes, Morocco soon cut its ties with the Arma and the grip of the numerous subsequent pashas on Timbuktu began losing its strength. By 1630, the colony was independent and had been indigenised through intermarriage and local alliances. Songhay never regained control and smaller taifa kingdoms were created.^[29] Tuareg temporarily took over control in 1737 and the remainder of the 18th century saw various Tuareg tribes, Bambara and Kounta briefly occupy or besiege the city.^[30] During this period, the influence of the Pashas, who by then had mixed with the Songhay through intermarriage, never completely disappeared.^[31]

The Massina Empire took control of Timbuktu in 1826, holding it until 1865, when they were driven away by El Hadj Umar Tall's Toucouleur Empire. Sources conflict on who was in control when the French arrived: Elias N. Saad in 1983 suggests the Soninke Wangara,^[30] a 1924 article in the Journal of the Royal African Society mentions the Tuareg,^[32] while Africanist John Hunwick does not determine one ruler, but notes several states competing for power 'in a shadowy way' until 1893.^[33]

Under French rule[link]

History of Azawad
This article is part of a series
Gao Empire
Songhai Empire
Pashalik of Timbuktu
French Sudan
Tuareg rebellion (1962–1964)
Tuareg rebellion (1990–1995)
Tuareg rebellion (2007–2009)
Tuareg rebellion (2012)
Independent State of Azawad
Azawad Portal v t e

After European powers formalized the scramble for Africa in the Berlin Conference, land between the 14th meridian and Miltou, South-West Chad, became French territory, bounded in the south by a line running from Say, Niger to Baroua. Although the Azawad region was now French in name, the principle of effectivity required France to actually hold power in those areas assigned, e.g. by signing agreements with local chiefs, setting up a government and making use of the area economically, before the claim would be definitive. On 15 December 1893, Timbuktu, by then long past its prime, was annexed by a small group of French soldiers, led by Lieutenant Gaston Boiteux.^[34] The region became part of French Sudan (Soudan Français), a colony of France. The colony was reorganised and the name changed several times during the French colonial period. In 1899 the French Sudan was subdivided and the Azawad became part of Upper Senegal and Middle Niger (Haut-Sénégal et Moyen Niger). In 1902 the name became Senegambia and Niger (Sénégambie et Niger) and in 1904 this was changed again to Upper Senegal and Niger (Haut-Sénégal et Niger). This name was used until 1920 when it became French Sudan again.^[35]

Under Malian rule[link]

Tuaregs at the January 2012 Festival au Désert in Timbuktu, just before the MNLA launched the Azawadi rebellion later in the same month

French Sudan became the autonomous state of Mali within the French Community in 1958, and Mali became independent from France in 1960. The area saw four major Tuareg rebellions against Malian rule: the First Tuareg Rebellion (1962–64), the rebellion of 1990–1995, the rebellion of 2007–2009, and a 2012 rebellion by the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA) and Ancar Dine.

In the early twenty-first century, the region became notorious for banditry and drug smuggling.^[36] The area has been reported to contain a great deal of potential mineral wealth, including petroleum and uranium.^[37]

On 17 January 2012, the MNLA announced the start of an insurrection in Azawad against the government of Mali, declaring that it "will continue so long as Bamako does not recognise this territory as a separate entity".^[38]

In March 2012, the MNLA and Ancar Dine took control of the regional capitals of Kidal^[39] and Gao^[40] along with their military bases. On 1 April, Timbuktu was captured.^[41] After the seizure of Timbuktu on 1 April, the MNLA gained effective control of most of the territory they claim for an independent Azawad. In a statement released on the occasion, the MNLA invited all Azawadis abroad to return home and join in constructing institutions in the new state.^[42]

Unilaterally declared independence[link]

The MNLA declared Azawad an independent state on 6 April 2012 and pledged to draft a constitution establishing it as a democracy. Their statement also acknowledged the United Nations charter and said the new state would uphold its principles.^[2][43]

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

In the same interview, Assarid also promised that Azawad will "respect all the colonial frontiers that separate Azawad from its neighbours" and insisted that Azawad's declaration of independence has "some international legality".^[44]

No foreign entity has yet recognized 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 Bamako and Gao 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.^[45]

The MNLA is estimated to have up to 3,000 soldiers. ECOWAS declared Azawad "null and void", and said that Mali is "one and [an] indivisible entity". The ECOWAS has said that it would use force, if necessary, to put down the rebellion.^[46] The French government indicated it could provide logistical support.^[45]

Geography[link]

The local climate is desert or semi-desert. Reuters wrote of the terrain: "Much of the land is the Sahara desert at its most inhospitable: rock, sand dunes and dust scored by shifting tracks."^[47] Some definitions of Azawad also include parts of northern Niger and southern Algeria, adjacent areas to the south and the north^[48] though in its declaration of independence, the MNLA did not advance territorial claims on those areas.^[3]

Traditionally, Azawad has referred to the sandplains north of Timbuktu. In geological terms, it is a mosaic of river, swamp, lake, and wind-borne deposits, while aeolian processes have proven the most imprinting.^[49]

About 6500 BC, Azawad was a 90,000 square kilometres marshy and lake basin. The area of today's Timbuktu was probably permanently flooded. In the deeper parts of Azawad, there were large lakes, partly recharged by rainfall, partly by exposed groundwater. Seasonal lakes and creeks were fed by overflow of the Niger river.^[50] The annual Niger flood was diffused throughout the Azawad by a network of palaeochannels spread out over an area of 180 by 130 kilometres. The most important of these paleochannels is the Wadi el-Ahmar, which is 1 200 metres wide at its southern end, at the Niger bend, and winds 70 to 100 kilometres northward. These long interdunal indentations that are framed by Pleistocene longitudinal dunes, charactise the present landscape.^[51]

Politics[link]

Azawad consists of the entire regions of Gao, Kidal, and Timbuktu, as well as the north-east half of the Mopti Region, which are claimed by and internationally recognised as part of Mali.

The MNLA in its declaration of independence announced the first political institutions of the state of Azawad. It included:^[52]

• 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.

As part of Mali, Azawad did not have a central government, and although the MNLA claimed responsibility for managing the country "until the appointment of a national authority" in their declaration of independence, it has acknowledged the presence of rival armed groups, including Islamist fighters under Ansar Dine, the Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa, and Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, in Azawad. The MNLA has yet to establish a formal government, though it has pledged to draft a constitution establishing Azawad as a democracy.^[2] 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 rebellion.^[53]

The military wing of Ansar Dine rejected the MNLA's declaration of independence hours after it was issued.^[54] Ansar Dine has vowed to establish Islamic sharia law over all of Mali.^[55] At a conference, the Azawadis voiced their disapproval of radical Islamic groups, and asked all foreign fighters to disarm and leave the country.^[56]

According to a Chatham House Africa expert, Mali is not to be considered "definitively partitioned". The peoples that constitute a major share of the population of northern Mali, like Songhai and Fulani, would consider themselves to be Malian and have no interest in a separate Tuareg-dominated state.^[57] 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.^[58][59] One day later, a new rally against separatism was joined by 2000 protesters.^[60]

On 8 April 2012, the National Liberation Front of Azawad (FLNA), a predominantly Arab armed group from Timbuktu, led by a parliamentarian and a defected Malian lieutenant-colonel, announced its formation.^[61] They were established to defend Timbuktu against the MNLA advance and reject to be ruled "by a Tuareg from Kidal".^[62]

On 26 May, after three weeks of negotiations, the MNLA and Ansar Dine merged their forces, creating the National Army of Azawad and a Transitional Council.

Administrative divisions[link]

Azawad, as proclaimed by the MNLA, includes the Malian regions of Gao, Timbuktu, Kidal, and the northeast half of Mopti; until 1991, when the new Kidal Region was created, it formed the northern portion of Gao Region. As such, it includes the important cities of Timbuktu, Gao and Kidal.^[48]

Demographics[link]

Timbuktu census in 1950

Gao (which includes Kidal) census in 1950

Northern Mali has a population density of 1.5 people per square kilometre.^[63] The Malian regions that are claimed by Azawad are listed hereafter (apart from the portion of Mopti Region claimed and occupied by the MNLA). The population figures are from the 2009 census of Mali, taken before Azawadi independence was proclaimed.^[64] Since the start of the Tuareg rebellion in January 2012, probably 250,000 former inhabitants have fled from the territory.^[65]

Ethnic groups[link]

The area was traditionally inhabited by the settled Songhay, nomadic Tuareg people, Moors, and Fulas (Fula: Fulɓe; French: Peul), and Bambara^[66] The ethnic composition of the regions in 1950 (at that time, Kidal Region was a part of Gao Region) is shown in the diagrams to the left.

Languages[link]

The languages of Azawad include Tamashek, Arabic, Fulfulde and Songhay and Bambara.^{[67] [68]} French is the language of school and administration.

Religion[link]

Most are Muslims, of the Sunni or Sufi orientations.^{[citation needed]} At least 90 percent of the 300 Christians who formerly lived in Timbuktu have fled to the South since the rebels captured the town on 2 April 2012.^[69]

Humanitarian situation[link]

The people living in the central and northern Sahelian and Sahelo-Saharan areas of Mali are the country's poorest, according to an International Fund for Agricultural Development report. Most of them are pastoralists and farmers practicing subsistence agriculture on dry land with poor and increasingly degraded soils.^[70] The northern part of Mali suffers from a critical shortage of food and lack of health care. Starvation has prompted about 200,000 inhabitants to leave the region.^[71]

See also[link]

Africa portal

• Arab Islamic Front of Azawad
• Popular Movement for the Liberation of Azawad
• Tuareg rebellion (2007–2009)
• Niger Movement for Justice
• List of states with limited recognition

References[link]

Bibliography[link]

• Dubois, Felix; White, Diana (trans.) (1896). Timbuctoo the mysterious. New York: Longmans. http://www.archive.org/details/timbuctoomyster01whitgoog .
• Fage, J. D. (1956). An Introduction to the History of West Africa. London: Cambridge University Press. pp. 22. http://books.google.com/?id=RDw9AAAAIAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=an+introduction+to+the+history+of+west+africa#v=onepage&q&f=false 
• Hacquard, Augustin (1900). Monographie de Tombouctou. Paris: Société des études coloniales & maritimes. http://www.archive.org/details/monographiedeto00hacqgoog . Also available from Gallica.
• Hunwick, J. O. (2000). "Timbuktu". Encyclopaedia of Islam. Volume X (2nd ed.). Leiden: Brill. pp. 508–510. ISBN 90-04-11211-1. http://www.archive.org/stream/encyclopediaofIslam10/Vol.10t-u#page/n532/mode/1up .
• Hunwick, John O. (2003). Timbuktu and the Songhay Empire: Al-Sadi's Tarikh al-Sudan down to 1613 and other contemporary documents. Leiden: Brill. ISBN 0585-6914 . First published in 1999 as ISBN 90-04-11207-3.
• Imperato, Pascal James (1989). Mali: A Search for Direction. Westview Press. ISBN 1-85521-049-5 .
• Kaba, Lansine (1981). "Archers, Musketeers, and Mosquitoes: The Moroccan Invasion of the Sudan and the Songhay Resistance (1591–1612)". Journal of African History 22 (4): 457–475. DOI:10.1017/S0021853700019861. JSTOR 181298. PMID 11632225 .
• Kirkby, Coel; Murray, Christina (2010). "Elusive Autonomy in Sub-Saharan Africa". In Weller, Marc; Nobbs, Katherine. Asymmetric Autonomy and the Settlement of Ethnic Conflicts. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press. pp. 97–120. ISBN 978-0-8122-4230-0. 
• McIntosh, Roderick J. (2008), "Before Timbuktu: cities of the Elder World", The Meanings of Timbuktu (HSRC Press): pp. 31–43, http://www.codesria.org/IMG/pdf/The_Meanings_of_Timbuktu_-_Chapter_3_-_Before_Timbuktu__cities_of_the_elder_world.pdf, retrieved 9 April 2012 
• Saad, Elias N. (1983). Social History of Timbuktu: The Role of Muslim Scholars and Notables 1400–1900. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-24603-2 .

External links[link]

Media related to Azawad at Wikimedia Commons

• Website of the MNLA

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The National Movement for Stability and Progress (Bulgarian: Национално движение за стабилност и възход (НДСВ) or Nacionalno dviženie za stabilnost i văzhod), until 3 June 2007 known as the National Movement Simeon II (the acronym in Bulgarian is the same - НДСВ), is a liberal political party in Bulgaria, the vehicle of Simeon Borisov Sakskoburggotski, the deposed Tsar of Bulgaria and former Prime Minister. It was founded in April 2001 after Simeon II declared his choice to take part in the active political life of Bulgaria. The movement won 42.7% of the popular vote and 120 out of 240 seats in the 2001 elections. It formed a coalition government with the Movement for Rights and Freedoms. It has developed into a liberal party which became a full member of the Liberal International at its Sofia Congress in May 2005. During the party's term, Bulgaria entered NATO. Some years later, in 2007, Bulgaria was accepted as a member of the European Union, capitalizing on the economic and political stability, established during the term of НДСВ in 2001-2005. At the legislative elections on June 25, 2005, it received 21.83% of the popular vote and 53 out of 240 seats, a significant decrease. The party got just 3.01% of votes and no seats at the parliamentary elections of 2009. Shortly after, Simeon Borisov Sakskoburggotski had also resigned as NDSV leader on 6 July.^[1]

See also[link]

• Liberalism
• Contributions to liberal theory
• Liberalism worldwide
• List of liberal parties
• Liberal democracy
• Liberalism and radicalism in Bulgaria

References[link]

External links[link]

• National Movement for Stability and Progress official site

v t e Political parties in Bulgaria National Assembly (240 seats) Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria (117) Coalition for Bulgaria (40) Bulgarian Socialist Party Party of Bulgarian Social Democrats Agrarian Union "Aleksandar Stamboliyski" Movement for Social Humanism Movement for Rights and Freedoms (37) National Union Attack (21) Blue Coalition (15) Union of Democratic Forces Democrats for a Strong Bulgaria United Agrarians Order, Law and Justice (10) European Parliament (17 seats) Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria (5) Coalition for Bulgaria (4) Movement for Rights and Freedoms (3) National Union Attack (2) National Movement for Stability and Progress (2) Blue Coalition (1) Unrepresented Agrarian People's Union Bulgarian Agrarian People's Union Bulgarian Communist Party – Marxists Bulgarian New Democracy Bulgarian Left Civil Union "Roma" Communist Party of Bulgaria For the Homeland George's Day Movement Green Party of Bulgaria IMRO – Bulgarian National Movement Lider Movement for an Equal Public Model National Movement for the Salvation of the Fatherland National Front for Salvation of Bulgaria New Time Pirate Party Political Movement "Social Democrats" Party of the Liberal Alternative and Peace Union of the Bulgarian Patriots Union of Communists in Bulgaria The Greens The Other Bulgaria Union of Free Democrats Union of the Patriotic Forces "Defense" Defunct Bulgarian Communist Party Portal:Politics List of political parties Politics of Bulgaria