ass="apple-converted-space"> National Movement for the Liberation
of Azawad (MNLA) and Ansar Dine rebels. After the additional captures
of Kidal and Timbuktu,
on 6 April, the MNLA declared the region independent of Mali as the nation of Azawad and named Gao its capital. The MNLA lost control to Islamist
militias after the Battle of Gao on 26 and 27 June 2012
