Azawad Liberation Front
{{Short description|Militant group in northern Mali (2024–present)}}
{{Infobox war faction
| name = Azawad Liberation Front
| native_name = {{lang|ber|ⵜⴰⴶⴰⵉⵜ ⵢⵏ ⵢⵙⵢⵍⵢⵍⵓ ⴰⵣⴰⵓⴰⴷ}}
{{lang|ar|جبهة تحرير أزواد}}
{{lang|fr|Front de libération de l'Azawad}}
| caption =
| image = FLA Flag.svg
| leaders = * Bilal Ag Acherif
- Alghabass Ag Intalla
- Ibrahim Ould Handa
- Hanoune Ould Ali
- Fahad Ag Almahmoud (killed in 2024)
- Habala Ag Hamzata
- Mohamed Ag Najem
- Achafghi Ag Bohada
| active = November 30, 2024 – present
| merger = * National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA)
- High Council for the Unity of Azawad (HCUA)
- Part of the Arab Movement of Azawad (MAA)
- Imghad Tuareg Self-Defense Group and Allies (GATIA)
| motives = Independence or autonomy of Azawad
| headquarters =
| area = Northern Mali (former State of Azawad)
| ideology = Azawad nationalism
| size =
| partof =
| allies =
| opponents =
| battles = Mali War
| war =
| url =
| predecessor =
| preceded by =
| successor =
}}
The Azawad Liberation Front (in Tuareg: ⵜⴰⴶⴰⵉⵜ ⵢⵏ ⵢⵙⵢⵍⵢⵍⵓ ⴰⵣⴰⵓⴰⴷ; in Arabic: جبهة تحرير أزواد); in French: Front de libération de l'Azawad) or FLA is a political and military organization in northern Mali founded on November 30, 2024. The organization was formed after the dissolution of the Strategic Framework for the Defense of the People of Azawad, and included the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA), the High Council for the Unity of Azawad (HCUA), and part of the Arab Movement of Azawad (MAA) and the Imghad Tuareg Self-Defense Group and Allies (GATIA). The organization was founded based on its demands for the independence or autonomy of Azawad.
History
The Azawad Liberation Front's formation was announced in a press release, following a meeting held between 26 and 30 November by approximately 180 officials and members of the Strategic Framework for the Defense of the People of Azawad (CSP-DPA). The group declared its objective to be "the total liberation of Azawad and the formation of the Azawad Authority".{{Cite web |date=2024-12-02 |title=Drone strikes by Mali's military regime kill 8 Tuareg leaders in the country's north |url=https://apnews.com/article/mali-tuareg-leaders-killed-e4708bb571a86da6db98de8200e10888 |access-date=2025-01-25 |website=AP News |language=en}} It adopted a new flag and called for the "self-determination" of Azawad.{{Cite web |title=Au Mali, les indépendantistes créent une nouvelle alliance - Jeune Afrique.com |url=https://www.jeuneafrique.com/1636132/politique/au-mali-les-independantistes-creent-une-nouvelle-alliance/ |access-date=2025-01-25 |website=JeuneAfrique.com |language=fr-FR}}
The organization was formed from the merger of four movements of the CSP into a single entity — the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA), the High Council for the Unity of Azawad (HCUA), a part of the Arab Movement of Azawad (MAA) and the Imghad Tuareg Self-Defense Group and Allies (GATIA).{{Cite web |date=2024-12-02 |title=Mali: frappes de drone à Tinzaouatène après la création d’une nouvelle coalition séparatiste |url=https://www.rfi.fr/fr/afrique/20241202-mali-frappes-de-drone-%C3%A0-tinzaouat%C3%A8ne-apr%C3%A8s-la-cr%C3%A9ation-d-une-nouvelle-coalition-s%C3%A9paratiste |access-date=2025-01-25 |website=RFI |language=fr}}{{Cite web |date=2024-12-02 |title=Mali: les rebelles du Nord combattent désormais pour l'indépendance et subissent un premier revers |url=https://www.rfi.fr/fr/afrique/20241202-mali-rebelles-nord-combattent-d%C3%A9sormais-pour-l-ind%C3%A9pendance-et-subissent-un-premier-revers?utm_slink=go.rfi.fr/04T&utm_term=RFI&utm_campaign=twitter&utm_source=nonli&utm_medium=social |access-date=2025-01-25 |website=RFI |language=fr}}
The day after the creation of the FLA, seven to eight of its leaders were killed in a Bayraktar TB2 drone strike near Tinzaouaten, including Fahad Ag Almahmoud, head of the rebel branch of GATIA, and Choguibe Ag Attaher, an amenukal of the Tuareg tribe of Idnanes.{{Cite web |date=2024-12-01 |title=Mali says army drone strike killed senior rebel commander, others |url=https://www.voanews.com/a/mali-says-army-drone-strike-killed-senior-rebel-commander-others/7883298.html |access-date=2025-01-25 |website=Voice of America |language=en}}{{Cite news |date=2024-12-02 |title=Au Mali, les chefs rebelles de l’Azawad s’unissent et subissent un bombardement mortel |url=https://www.lemonde.fr/afrique/article/2024/12/02/au-mali-les-chefs-rebelles-de-l-azawad-s-unissent-et-subissent-un-bombardement-mortel_6425937_3212.html |access-date=2025-01-25 |language=fr}}