Mali faces a deepening political, security and humanitarian crisis after a military coup against President Amadou Toumani Touré. The soldiers who seized power said the government had mishandled a Tuareg rebellion in the north, but the coup created a power vacuum that allowed rebels to advance rapidly. They captured the major northern towns of Kidal, Gao and Timbuktu, raising fears that Mali could be divided and instability could spread across the Sahel.

The forces in the north have different aims. The National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA) seeks an independent Tuareg state, while the Islamist group Ansar Dine wants to impose Islamic law within Mali. Residents reported that Islamist fighters had ransacked bars, banned Western music from local radio and told people in Timbuktu to follow Islamic law. Civilians were also reported to be fleeing the central town of Mopti amid fears of a further advance south.

West African leaders, concerned about Mali’s collapse and threats to stability across the region, demanded a return to civilian rule. After their deadline expired, the Economic Community of West African States imposed sanctions, including border closures and a freeze on Mali’s account at the regional central bank. The African Union also imposed sanctions. Junta leader Capt. Amadou Sanogo said the military would remain in power while consulting political groups about a transition and elections in which it would not participate. A junta negotiator said the MNLA was open to talks, but an MNLA spokesman said the group had no direct contact with the junta and would negotiate only with a recognized authority.

The embargo quickly affected daily life. Mali imports all its fuel, and motorists and farmers lined up at petrol stations to stockpile supplies. Fuel shortages threatened farm irrigation and electricity generation during the hot season, when low water levels limit hydropower. The frozen bank account also raised questions about whether civil servants could be paid.

The conflict has displaced more than 200,000 people since January, including about 100,000 who fled Mali, according to the UN refugee agency. It has also worsened a regional humanitarian emergency: aid agencies warned that 13 million people needed food assistance following drought.

UNESCO warned that fighting could damage Timbuktu’s World Heritage sites, including its distinctive mud-and-wood mosques and cemeteries. The city’s hundreds of thousands of ancient manuscripts document a rich literary and scientific history; the takeover could disrupt preservation work and restrict access to the collections. The UN Security Council was due to hold an emergency meeting on the crisis.