Abstract

In 2012, the political landscape in the Republic of Mali transformed rapidly, drastically, and unpredictably after Tuareg separatists launched attacks on Malian garrisons in the Sahara. Mali had experienced such rebellions before. What nobody foresaw was that this renewed conflict would lead to a coup d’état by disgruntled junior officers; the near total collapse of Mali’s army and most of its democratic institutions; the seizure of all of northern Mali by a mix of Tuareg rebels and foreign and local mujahideen; the precocious proclamation of an independent Azawad Republic; and the effective occupation of the north of the country by an alliance of Jihadi-Salafi movements. At present, an alliance of French and African troops tries to restore order and national unity. This talk will be an attempt to give an overview of the origins, present state, and near future of the crisis in Mali.