Nyorai mberi kweiyi ndima - Muna 2012, maTuareg nevamwe vanhu kuchamhembe kweMali mudunhu reAzawad vakatanga kupandukira kuchamhembe pasi pemureza weNational Movement for the Liberation of Azawad. Mushure mekubudirira kwekutanga uye kunyunyuta kubva kuMalian Army kuti yakanga isina kugadzirirwa kurwisa vapanduki, avo vakabatsirwa nekuwanda kwezvombo zvinorema kubva kuhondo yevagari vemuLibya ya2011 pamwe nemamwe masosi, zvikamu zveuto zvakaronga coup d'état yemauto.
musi wa21 March 2012. Zvichitevera kudengenyeka kwenyika, vapanduki vakaita kumwe kufambira mberi kuti vatore maguta makuru matatu kuchamhembe: Gao, Timbuktu neKidal. Zvichitevera zvirango zvehupfumi uye kuvharirwa kwenyika neEconomic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), chibvumirano, chakasvitswa muBurkina Faso neMutungamiri Blaise Compaoré pasi peECOWAS, chakasainwa icho chaizoona Amadou Sanogo achipa simba kuna Dioncounda Traoré kuti atore hutungamiri hwepakati kusvika sarudzo dzaitwa.