Question

When did the Tuareg attack Mali?

Answer 1

Historically, the Tuareg attacked Mali during the late 14th and early 15th centuries, contributing to the Malian Empire's decline. In recent times, following the Libya conflict in 2011, the Tuareg initiated a new rebellion in Mali, culminating in the 2012 declaration of the independent state of "Azawad" which was short-lived due to recapture by Malian forces in 2013.

Step-by-step explanation:

The Tuareg attacks on Mali reference two significant periods: the historical raids during the weakening of the Malian Empire and the more recent conflict starting in 2011. Historically, the Tuareg, alongside the Mossi, mounted pressures on the Empire between the late 14th and early 15th centuries. The Malian Empire, once strengthened under the leadership of Sunjata and reaching its zenith during Mansa Musa's reign, experienced attacks and a rebellion that Mansa Musa II managed to suppress in Takedda but failed to control in Gao. This led to the loss of Timbuktu and other critical regions to the Mali Empire by the 1430s.

More recently, the overthrow of the Gaddafi regime in Libya in 2011 resulted in some Tuareg nationalists escaping with weapons to Mali, where they started a guerrilla war. This insurgency led to a declaration of independence for "Azawad" in April 2012 by the MNLA (the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad). However, Timbuktu was recaptured in 2013 by Malian government forces supported by international troops.

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Answer 2

Final answer:

The Tuareg attacked Mali at various times, notable raids and uprisings against the Malian Empire occurred between 1374 and 1387, with subsequent control over Timbuktu in the 1430s. In the modern era, after the fall of Gaddafi in 2011, armed Tuaregs began a guerrilla war against Mali, declaring Azawad's independence in April 2012.

Step-by-step explanation:

The Tuareg attacks on Mali have occurred at different times throughout history, reflecting various periods of conflict and shifting power dynamics. During the latter half of the 14th century, specifically between 1374 and 1387, the Tuareg, alongside the Mossi, launched raids and uprisings which weakened the Malian Empire.

Despite Mansa Musa II's efforts to subdue the Tuareg rebellion, cities like Timbuktu and Gao sought independence, marking a significant change in the region's geopolitics. In the years that followed, the Tuareg continued to exert pressure on Mali.

By the 1430s, Mali had lost Timbuktu to the Tuareg, who occupied and governed it for the next forty years. The city of Timbuktu would eventually come under the protection of Sonni Ali and the rising Songhai Empire.

In recent history, following the fall of the Gaddafi regime in Libya in 2011, some Tuaregs returned to Mali armed and initiated a guerrilla war against the government. In April 2012, the guerrilla movement known as the MNLA (National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad) declared independence for the region of Azawad, with the war continuing into 2013 when Timbuktu was recaptured by the Malian government with international support. The quest for Tuareg independence and regional control, however, continues to create political instability in the region.