Timbuktu falls to Tuareg rebels amid post-coup chaos

[FarCenter]

Source: France 24

The junior officer who overthrew Mali’s democratically elected leader earlier this month and dissolved the nation’s constitution made a public U-turn Sunday, declaring amid enormous international pressure that he was reinstating the 1992 constitution and planning to hold elections.

Capt. Amadou Haya Sanogo added that he would organize a national convention to agree on a transitional government which will organize free and fair elections. What he did not make clear is when the convention would be held, or when elections would take place, or if he would remain president during the transitional period.

Sanogo’s announcement came as Tuareg rebels penetrated and seized control of the ancient northern city of Timbuktu, a move that deepens the crisis in the West African nation.

Tuareg rebels took advantage of the chaos surrounding last week’s coup in the faraway capital to take the town of Kidal, located 1,300 kilometers (800 miles) from Bamako on Friday. They seized the biggest northern city of Gao, located around 1,200 kilometers (745 miles) away on Saturday - cities that never fell in previous rebellions. A resident in Timbuktu said that the rebels entered the town after a heavy firefight, and were going house to house asking people to remain calm.


Read more: http://www.france24.com/en/20120401-tuareg-fighters-take-timbuktu-mali-coup-rebels

[knowbody0]

1. I am so amazed to know

there really is a Timbuktu.

[Igel]

2. Maybe there'll be a bit of realignment.

The Tuareg were conquered centuries ago and routinely denied self-determination.

Perhaps they can unify and there'll be a strip of Tuareg country with an Arab-dominated country along the coast. Probably not stable, but why not?

[FarCenter]

3. Like the Kurds, their ethnic group spans multiple countries

The war in Libya is one motivation for the renewed Taureg assertiveness.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuareg_people

[saras]

4. That wins the "never thought I'd see THAT headline" award: Timbuktu falls to Tuareg rebels

[harmonicon]

5. Because why? You thought the Tuaregs were shit fighters or something? nt.

[saras]

7. No, because I never thought I'd see "Timbuktu" or "Tuareg" in the headlines, ever.

The last I heard, "Tuareg" was considered an Arabic insult used by outsiders. Have they taken it back?

[harmonicon]

8. Well, the West does love to just ignore Africa.

I'm a bit surprised how little coverage this revolution/war is getting considering the relationship it has to the famed and over-covered "Arab Spring." I guess we just don't benefit economically or politically from a certain outcome in the immediate future, so we just don't care.

As for the meaning "Tuareg", I have no idea, and I wouldn't know who to ask to get a definitive answer.

[Odin2005]

6. That coup is becoming a cluster**** for Mali.

[alcibiades_mystery]

9. I wonder if they will still allow me to threaten my six year old daughter withn shipment

to Timbuktu.

As in, "That's it, you're getting sent to Timbuktu!"