Tuareg rebellion (2012)
| Tuareg Rebellion (2011–present) | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of Tuareg rebellions | |||||||
 The Azawad region | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 Mali | National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA) | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Amadou Toumani Touré |
Moussa Ag Acharatoumane Najim Ag Mohamed[1] | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| ~1,000[2] | |||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
|
52 killed (Tuareg claim) | 65 killed [4] (Mali military source) | ||||||
|
105-117 killed[5] 40,000+ refugees | |||||||
The ongoing Tuareg Rebellion is an insurgency, that began in late 2011 amongst elements of the Tuareg people, living in the Sahara desert regions of northern Mali. It is led by the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad in the most recent incarnation of a series of insurgencies by formerly nomadic Tuareg populations which date back at least to 1916. MNLA is in large parts composed by heavily armed Tuareg fighters who fought in the Libyan army during the tenure of Muammar Gaddafi. The MNLA is comprised of non-Tuareg groups as well.[6]
Background
Before the armed conflict : the MNLA was the "MNA", which was a political movement (see MNLA). Some of their militants were jailed or molested. Then it turned to be an armed conflict. [7] After the end of the Libyan civil war, an influx of weaponry led to the arming of the Tuareg in their demand for independence for the Azawad[8] The strength of this uprising and the use of heavy weapons, which were not present in the previous conflicts, were said to have "surprised" Malian officials and observers.[2]
Incidents
According to Stratfor, the first attacks took place in Menaka on the 16 and 17 January. On 17 January attacks in Aguelhoc and Tessalit were reported. The Mali government claimed to have regained control of all three towns the next day. On 24 January the rebels retook Aguelhoc. The next day the Mali government once again recaptured Aguelhoc.[9] On 26 January, rebels attacked and took control over the northern Mali towns of Anderamboukane and Lere after clashes with the military.[10] Stratfor also reported an attack on Niafunke on 31 January.[9] The AFP reported that the rebels had captured Menaka on 1 February.[11]
On 1 February, the Tuaregs took control of the city of Menaka when the Malian army operated what they called a tactical retreat, creating protests in Bamako. Dozens of Malians soldiers were also killed in fighting in Aguelhoc.[12] Following the Bamako protests, the interior minister replaced the defense minister. Mali's President Amadou Toure also called the population to not attack any community, after some Tuaregs' properties were attacked in Bamako protests.[13]
On 4 February, Tuaregs said that they were attacking the city of Kidal, while the Malian army said that their troops were firing heavy weapons to prevent the city from being attacked. As a result of the fighting, 3,500 civilians left the city to cross the border into Mauritania. Previously an estimated 10,000 civilians had fled to refugee camps Niger after the fighting in Menaka and Anderamboucane.[14]
Official Malian sources reported that 20 Tuareg rebels have been killed by the army in the Timbuktu region, most of them being killed by helicopter gunships.[15]
On 8 February, the MNLA seized the Mali-Algeria border town of Tinzawatene as Malian soldiers crossed into Algeria. [16] A rebel spokesman said that they were able to gain weapons and military vehicles found in the military camps of the city.[citation needed]
Negotiations
In early February, 2012, talks were held in Algiers between the Malian government and a Tuareg rebel group known as the May 23 Alliance. The agreement called for a ceasefire and the opening of a dialogue. However, the MNLA rejected the agreement and said that they were not represented in these talks. [17]
Reactions
Amongst the media reactions to the uprising, the AFP were accused of bias in simply relaying the words of the Malian government and armed forces. Other international press were also accused of oversimplifying the link between the uprising and the alleged connection to events in Libya and the influx of weapons. Social media amongst the Tuareg diaspora was reported to be euphoric at the imminent "liberation", while those in southern Mali were strongly against what they called "bandits" in the north who they said should be "killed". Similarly, the Malian press was quick to criticise the uprising[18]
See also
References
- ^ http://www.eurasiareview.com/20012012-mali-fighting-in-north-the-new-touareg-war/
- ^ a b http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/06/world/africa/tuaregs-use-qaddafis-arms-for-rebellion-in-mali.html
- ^ http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/africa/mali-protesters-soldiers-families-march-over-clashes-between-army-tuareg-rebels/2012/02/02/gIQATXLIkQ_story.html
- ^ http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/mali/9026722/Fierce-clashes-between-Malian-army-and-Tuareg-rebels-kill-47.html
- ^ [1]
- ^ http://www.lemonde.fr/afrique/article/2012/01/25/dans-le-nord-du-mali-les-touareg-du-mnla-lancent-un-nouveau-defi-arme-a-l-etat_1634378_3212.html
- ^ http://thinkafricapress.com/mali/causes-uprising-northern-mali-tuareg
- ^ http://allafrica.com/stories/201201200939.html
- ^ a b http://stratfor.com/weekly/mali-besieged-fighters-fleeing-libya
- ^ http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2012/01/201212614823523986.html
- ^ http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5iVW1DBI8ZiwzUAkN8MSZ9Mgpcx-Q?docId=CNG.028f1f77f56e33c1084cdd34a97858f3.471
- ^ http://af.reuters.com/article/libyaNews/idAFL5E8CV5ZF20120202
- ^ http://af.reuters.com/article/libyaNews/idAFL5E8D27OC20120202
- ^ http://af.reuters.com/article/libyaNews/idAFL5E8D400420120204
- ^ http://af.reuters.com/article/maliNews/idAFL5E8D407420120205
- ^ http://af.reuters.com/article/maliNews/idAFL5E8D8A0G20120209
- ^ http://www.news24.com/Africa/News/Tuareg-rebels-not-bound-by-truce-talks-20120207
- ^ http://thinkafricapress.com/mali/causes-uprising-northern-mali-tuareg