The Conflict in Mali
Conflict in Mali
Mali is a country located in Northwestern Africa that has been no stranger to both external and internal turmoil in recent decades. Recently the issue has escalated to a boiling point that not only imperils Malian internal affairs, but also threatens African infrastructure as a whole. In Northern Mali there is a territory known as the Azawad that has been hotly contested since its inception into Mali. A rebel group that has great support in Mali called the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad or MNLA (translated acronym). They, along with the backing of Islamic fighting force Ansar Dine, ousted the Malian troops and have since held the territory as their own. The situation took a turn for the worse, however since the MNLA disagreed with Ansar Dine’s strict governing laws and declared war on their one-time partners. From a Western perspective, the volatility only really began when the Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa sprung up, also taking arms against the MNLA. The Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa is an Al-Qaeda splinter group that seems well on its way to establishing a foothold in Northern Mali, and from there, the Western world fears they will try and further their expansion into Africa. What this could mean is that the radical Jihadist stance could firmly implant itself into African culture, spreading the most violent of Wahhabi-sect teachings. The UN only has a certain amount of time to act before the situation implodes upon itself, and from the dust emerges either a destroyed Mali or a new branch of Al-Qaeda supporters, presenting a very real and very bloodcurdling prospect for the
Mali is a country located in Northwestern Africa that has been no stranger to both external and internal turmoil in recent decades. Recently the issue has escalated to a boiling point that not only imperils Malian internal affairs, but also threatens African infrastructure as a whole. In Northern Mali there is a territory known as the Azawad that has been hotly contested since its inception into Mali. A rebel group that has great support in Mali called the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad or MNLA (translated acronym). They, along with the backing of Islamic fighting force Ansar Dine, ousted the Malian troops and have since held the territory as their own. The situation took a turn for the worse, however since the MNLA disagreed with Ansar Dine’s strict governing laws and declared war on their one-time partners. From a Western perspective, the volatility only really began when the Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa sprung up, also taking arms against the MNLA. The Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa is an Al-Qaeda splinter group that seems well on its way to establishing a foothold in Northern Mali, and from there, the Western world fears they will try and further their expansion into Africa. What this could mean is that the radical Jihadist stance could firmly implant itself into African culture, spreading the most violent of Wahhabi-sect teachings. The UN only has a certain amount of time to act before the situation implodes upon itself, and from the dust emerges either a destroyed Mali or a new branch of Al-Qaeda supporters, presenting a very real and very bloodcurdling prospect for the