Rebel Tuareg forces operating in Mali have declared an independent nation called Azawad. The rebels have control over a vast swath of Mali's northern territory. The rebels were aided greatly by the smuggling of sophisticated weaponry from Libya, and the return to their homeland of several Tuareg mercenaries who had served and trained under the Qadhafi-regime in Libya. Analysts have expressed concerns that the rebels have ties with Islamist terrorists, most notably al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM). There is concern that the rebels' success in Mali will embolden their fellow tribesmen living in surrounding countries, e.g. Niger and Burkina Faso. This could greatly add to the turmoil in the region and further strengthen the hand of the aforementioned terrorist organizations. Mali is reeling from the insurrection. In fact, Malian armed forces rebelled against the democratically elected government on 21 March 2012, in large part due to the government's seeming inability/unwillingness to properly arm the military in its fight against the Tuareg rebels.
