The Internal conflict in Azawad has been a two-year-long insurgency in Northern Mali between a pro-independence ultra Nationalist group, the MNLA and a coalition of Islamists terror groups. The conflict began when Northern Mali declared itself independent from the government creating the un-recognized state of Azawad. Both the Islamists and MNLA formed an alliance in combatting the Malian government. An internal conflict sprung up over the imposing of sharia law in the new state and the MNLA distancing itself from the coalition to a democratic state. Islamists gained popularity amongst anti-Tuareg tribes that helped it overthrow MNLA authority in Gao. Both sides clashed repeatedly leading to the Battle of Gao where the MNLA were driven from the North's two main cities, Gao and Timbuktu. Th