Mali’s Azawadis continue to demand an independent state

In April 2012, Azawad was declared as an independent state by the MNLA Nouakchott – Mohammed Abeidy Sharif An ethnic group of Azawadis from northern Mali are demanding an independent state, it has emerged today. Reports have also confirmed that the rebel group the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA) has carried out deadly clashes with al-Tawhid wal-Jihad group on Saturday.
Azawadis are residents of the Azawad territory situated in the north of Mali, including regions Timbuktu, Kidal, Gao, as well as a part of Mopti which account for more than 60 percent of Mali’s landmass.
In April 2012, Azawad was declared as an independent state by the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA) after a Tuareg rebellion drove the Malian Army from the territory. Initially their effort was supported by Islamist groups, including Al-Qaeda in the Maghreb (AQIM) and al-Tawhid wal-Jihad, but the groups have been involved in a bloody battle in recent months.
The Economic Community of West African States, which refused to recognise Azawad and called the declaration of its independence "null and void”. The French government eventually intervened, sending in troops to help the Malian army drive the rebels out.
Sources have revealed today that five MNLA soldiers and 15 al-Tawhid wal-Jihad fighters have been killed in intense clashes after the MNLA launched a campaign to capture strategic locations from the Islamist group. Violence apparently broke out between the two groups over claims that al-Tawhid wal-Jihad has been funding itself by forcibly collecting money from residents of tribal neighbourhoods, saying the proceeds are for “zakat” - an Islamic obligation to donate money for charitable purposes.
Meanwhile, a source has told Arabstoday that French forces fighting to the Islamist groups in the north will pull out of the region "before its mission is complete" due to fears that the rising temperatures will affect troop morale and that Islamist groups are likely to carry out strikes against French military bases.
“It's not enough, militarily and security-wise to take control of the cities and leave nearby enemy forces intact as is the case with Azawad," said the source.
An Algerian security report into the impact of the withdrawal of French troops from northern Mali has found that neighbouring countries such as Mauritania, Niger and Algeria will need to provide 80,000 military and security personnel by 2014 to cover the gap created by the departure.