The small African country of Mali has been forcibly split in two, as rebels in the north have broken off and formed a new Islamic state - Azawad. CNN: Two key rebel movements in Mali have agreed to join forces, saying together they will rule an independent Islamic state. The Tuareg group MNLA and the Islamist group Ansar Dine occupying northern Mali reached the deal after a series of talks, according to both groups. Gunfire was heard in two major towns in the region -- Gao and Timbuktu -- as militants celebrated their decision to form a body to oversee Azawad. Several weeks ago, rebels declared independence for the region, the cradle of their nomadic civilization. But not everyone celebrated the news Sunday. Some who come from the region occupied by rebels said the separatist and Islamist movements do not have the people's support. "The Ansar Dine movement and the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad, MNLA, have proclaimed an independent state, Azawad," MNLA...(Read Full Post)