Armed groups in Northern Mali

This datasheet offers an overview of the situation in northeastern Mali, suffering from a worrying instability since the beginning of 2012. It is the presence of various armed groups, including Islamists, which most worries the central government and external observers. Although the offensive in last January was launched by a Tuareg separatist movement it now appears that Islamist groups (AQIM, Ansar Dine MUJAO) have broader roots in this area. This note intends to provide a clear overview of these groups, studying their modus operandi, foundations and ideologies (for the new ones), the evolution of those already studied in previous notes (AQIM) and finally what they have in common, their various alliances and their differences.