Abdelkader messahel biography of william

Niamey, Niger – Until recently, Mali was praised as being a prime example of an African democracy. The same constitution has been in place since and elections held since have largely been free and fair.

This all changed, though, when Gaddafi’s administration began to crumble towards the end of last year. Hundreds of ethnic Tuareg mercenaries, who had fought for both Gaddafi and the NTC rebels, returned home to Northern Mali to restart their own rebellion.

Despite Gaddafi’s fall being a catalyst for the conflict, the Tuareg, under various acronyms, have been fighting – on and off – against the Malian government since

After the colonial French left in , the nomadic Tuareg suddenly found themselves under the rule of Mali’s southern tribes, with whom they had little affiliation.

Feeling marginalised and oppressed by the Malian south and wanting greater autonomy for Tuareg people, a handful of Tuareg men armed with a few rifles and traditional swords began