Thousands continue to flee Mali violence

After years of relative peace, a band of Tuareg fighters are leading a new rebellion against the government of Mali.

Rebels from the Tuareg ethnic group have launched attacks across the north, where they want to establish an independent homeland.

According to aid groups, more than 15,000 people have now fled the country as fighting continues between the separatist fighters and government forces

The government has asked people not to blame all Tuaregs for the actions of a single rebel group. But people are growing fearful of potential revenge attacks.

Al Jazeera’s Nazanin Sadri reports