Cika wannan jumla: A watan Janairu 2012
An fara tawayen Tuareg a Arewacin Mali, wanda National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA) ke jagoranta. A watan Maris, jami'in soja Amadou Sanogo ya kwace mulki a cikin juyin mulki, yana mai ambaton gazawar Touré wajen murkushe tawayen, kuma hakan ya haifar da takunkumi da takunkumi daga Kungiyar Tattalin Arzikin Kasashen Afirka ta Yamma. MNLA da sauri ta karɓi iko da arewa, ta ayyana 'yancin kai a matsayin Azawad. Koyaya, kungiyoyin Islama da suka hada da Ansar Dine da Al-Qaeda a Maghreb na Islama (AQIM), wadanda suka taimaka wa MNLA wajen kayar da gwamnati, sun juya wa Tuareg baya kuma suka karɓi iko da Arewa tare da manufar aiwatar da shari'a a Mali.