Cika wannan jumla: A watan Janairun 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
wani juyin mulki, yana mai cewa Touré ya gaza murkushe tawayen, kuma 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.