Clashes between Malian army, Tuareg rebels leave scores dead

Two days of battles between Malian army forces and Tuareg rebels left 45 rebels and two soldiers dead, the defence ministry said Thursday. Tuaregs want independence for their vast desert region, stretching from the west to the north of Mali.

The Tuareg are demanding independence for their vast desert region, the Azawad, which stretches from the west to the north of Mali. A nomadic community of some 1.5 million people, Tuareg of various tribes are scattered between Algeria, Burkina Faso, Libya, Niger and Mali.

Mali and Niger experienced uprisings as the Tuareg fought for recognition of their identity and an independent state in the 1960s, 1990s and early 2000 with a resurgence between 2006 and 2009.

After these rebellions many fighters left for Libya, where they were integrated into Kadhafi's security forces. After his fall they returned to northern Mali, particularly the Azawad region between Timbuktu and Kidal.

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