The Azawad Liberation Front (in

Tuareg The Tuareg people (; also spelled Twareg or Touareg; endonym, depending on variety: ''Imuhaɣ'', ''Imušaɣ'', ''Imašeɣăn'' or ''Imajeɣăn'') are a large Berber ethnic group, traditionally nomadic pastoralists, who principally inhabit th ...

: ⵜⴰⴶⴰⵉⵜ ⵢⵏ ⵢⵙⵢⵍⵢⵍⵓ ⴰⵣⴰⵓⴰⴷ; in

Arabic Arabic (, , or , ) is a Central Semitic languages, Central Semitic language of the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family spoken primarily in the Arab world. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) assigns lang ...

: جبهة تحرير أزواد); in French: Front de libération de l'Azawad) or FLA is a political and military organization in northern

Mali Mali, officially the Republic of Mali, is a landlocked country in West Africa. It is the List of African countries by area, eighth-largest country in Africa, with an area of over . The country is bordered to the north by Algeria, to the east b ...

founded on November 30, 2024. The organization was formed after the dissolution of the Strategic Framework for the Defense of the People of Azawad, and included the

National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad National may refer to: Common uses * Nation or country ** Nationality – a ''national'' is a person who is subject to a nation, regardless of whether the person has full rights as a citizen Places in the United States * National, Maryland, ...

(MNLA), the High Council for the Unity of Azawad (HCUA), and part of the

Arab Movement of Azawad The Arab Movement of Azawad (, ; MAA) is an Arab military organization active in Azawad/northern Mali. Initially known as the National Liberation Front of Azawad (; FLNA), it was formed in early 2012, during the 2012 Tuareg rebellion. The MAA c ...

(MAA) and the Imghad Tuareg Self-Defense Group and Allies (GATIA). The organization was founded based on its demands for the

independence Independence is a condition of a nation, country, or state, in which residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory. The opposite of independence is the status of ...

autonomy In developmental psychology and moral, political, and bioethical philosophy, autonomy is the capacity to make an informed, uncoerced decision. Autonomous organizations or institutions are independent or self-governing. Autonomy can also be ...

Azawad Azawad, or Azawagh (Tuareg languages, Tuareg: Azawaɣ, or Azawad; ), was a short-lived diplomatic recognition, unrecognised state lasting between 2012 and 2013. Azawagh (''Azawaɣ'') is the generic Tuareg, Tuareg Berber name for all Tuareg Ber ...

History

The Azawad Liberation Front's formation was announced in a press release, following a meeting held between 26 and 30 November by approximately 180 officials and members of the Strategic Framework for the Defense of the People of Azawad (CSP-DPA). The group declared its objective to be "the total liberation of

and the formation of the Azawad Authority". It adopted a new flag and called for the "self-determination" of Azawad. The organization was formed from the merger of four movements of the CSP into a single entity — the

(MNLA), the High Council for the Unity of Azawad (HCUA), a part of the

(MAA) and the Imghad Tuareg Self-Defense Group and Allies (GATIA). The day after the creation of the FLA, seven to eight of its leaders were killed in a

Bayraktar TB2 Bayraktar TB2 (Turkish language, Turkish: ''Standard-bearer TB2'') is a Medium-altitude long-endurance UAV, medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) capable of remotely controlled or autonomous flight operati ...

drone strike Drone warfare is a form of warfare using Military drone, military drones or Military robot, military robots. The robots may be Telerobotics, remote controlled or have varying levels of Autonomous robot, autonomy during their mission. Types of ro ...

near

Tinzaouaten Tinzaouaten (var. Tinzawatene and Tin-Zaouatene; ) is a Saharan rural commune in the far northeast of Mali on the Algerian border. Geography The commune is in the Abeïbara Cercle of the Kidal Region. It included a stop on a trans-Saharan trad ...

, including

Fahad Ag Almahmoud Fahad Ag Almahmoud (died 1 December 2024) was a Malian Imghad Tuareg militant who served as the secretary-general of GATIA from its formation in 2014 until 2023, when he split from the group and formed his own faction of GATIA. Biography Alma ...

, head of the rebel branch of GATIA, and Choguibe Ag Attaher, an amenukal of the

tribe of Idnanes.{{Cite news , date=2024-12-02 , title=Au Mali, les chefs rebelles de l’Azawad s’unissent et subissent un bombardement mortel , url=https://www.lemonde.fr/afrique/article/2024/12/02/au-mali-les-chefs-rebelles-de-l-azawad-s-unissent-et-subissent-un-bombardement-mortel_6425937_3212.html , access-date=2025-01-25 , language=fr

References

Azawad Guerrilla organizations National liberation movements in Africa National liberation armies Organizations established in 2024 Political movements in Mali Rebel groups in Mali Tuareg rebels Tuareg independence movement Military units and factions of the Mali War