Popular Movement for the Liberation of Azawad
Encyclopedia
Popular Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (in French
: Mouvement Populaire de Libération de l'Azawad, MPLA), a Tuareg militant rebel group in northern Mali
(Azawad). Initially based amongst exile
s in Algeria
and, especially, Libya
, MPLA launched an armed campaign in June 1990. This fed into the disturbances
already underway in Mali, and started a civil war
. After the overthrow of the Malian government, and the introduction of electoral democracy, the rebellion
gradually ceased.
On January 6, 1991 MPLA and FIAA
signed the Tamanrasset Accords together with the government of Mali. The accord however failed to prevent further conflict. In December 1991 MPLA joined the United Movements and Fronts of Azawad (MFUA), which unitedly signed the National Pact peace treaty. Former MPLA fighters are believed to have been involved in the Kidal disturbances of 2006.
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
: Mouvement Populaire de Libération de l'Azawad, MPLA), a Tuareg militant rebel group in northern Mali
Mali
Mali , officially the Republic of Mali , is a landlocked country in Western Africa. Mali borders Algeria on the north, Niger on the east, Burkina Faso and the Côte d'Ivoire on the south, Guinea on the south-west, and Senegal and Mauritania on the west. Its size is just over 1,240,000 km² with...
(Azawad). Initially based amongst exile
Exile
Exile means to be away from one's home , while either being explicitly refused permission to return and/or being threatened with imprisonment or death upon return...
s in Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
and, especially, Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
, MPLA launched an armed campaign in June 1990. This fed into the disturbances
Tuareg Rebellion
The Tuareg Rebellion was an uprising by various Tuareg groups in Niger and Mali with the aim of achieving autonomy or forming their own nation-state. The insurgency occurred in a period following the regional famine of the 1980s and subsequent refugee crisis, and a time of generalised political...
already underway in Mali, and started a civil war
Civil war
A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same nation state or republic, or, less commonly, between two countries created from a formerly-united nation state....
. After the overthrow of the Malian government, and the introduction of electoral democracy, the rebellion
Rebellion
Rebellion, uprising or insurrection, is a refusal of obedience or order. It may, therefore, be seen as encompassing a range of behaviors aimed at destroying or replacing an established authority such as a government or a head of state...
gradually ceased.
On January 6, 1991 MPLA and FIAA
Arab Islamic Front of Azawad
Arab Islamic Front of Azawad was a militant rebel group in northern Mali. It was headed by Zahabi Ould Sidi Mohamed....
signed the Tamanrasset Accords together with the government of Mali. The accord however failed to prevent further conflict. In December 1991 MPLA joined the United Movements and Fronts of Azawad (MFUA), which unitedly signed the National Pact peace treaty. Former MPLA fighters are believed to have been involved in the Kidal disturbances of 2006.