International community condemned announcement of independence by Tuareg insurgents amid reports of links to al-Qaida's regional arm.

Tuareg rebels who swept across the deserts of northern Mali in the aftermath of a coup in the country's capital have attempted to consolidate their power in the region, declaring an independent nation. The African Union condemned it as "null and void", while France, the former colonial power in the area, said it "means nothing for them". Britain responded to the continuing turmoil by withdrawing staff from its embassy in the capital Bamako, citing the "unstable and unpredictable situation".