This week, soldiers in Mali seized power.They said they acted because the presidenthas failed to end a rebellionby ethnic Tuareg rebels in northern Mali.That conflict started again in Januaryafter Tuareg fighters returned from Libya.They had been allied with Moammar Gadhafi.Leaders of the overthrow suspended the constitutionand arrested government ministers.In Bamako, the capital, the price of fuel doubledand bread was reported in short supply.Mali was set to hold presidential elections in late April.President Amadou Toumani Toure, a former army officer,was not seeking another term.The democratically elected president has served two terms,the legal limit. Years ago, he himself led an overthrow.The United Nations Security Councilcondemned the ouster of President Toure.The U.N.'s political chief, Lynn Pascoe,said the return of the Tuaregs from the Libyan armyhas fueled the rebellion.LYNN PASCOE: "A sizeable number had gone to Libyabecause there they could earn more moneyworking in the military and other areas.They were welcomed by the Gadhafi regime.We think that somewhere in the range of fifteen hundredto two thousand of them returned.Some of them were actually quite high-ranking peoplein the Libyan Army. And they also came with weapons."The Tuareg rebellion has been happening on and off in Mali for many years.But Mr. Pascoe says the new weaponshave changed the situation.LYNN PASCOE: "They have clearly added much more firepowerand drive to this operation, which made it very difficultfor the Malian Army to deal with."In Washington, State Department spokeswomanVictoria Nuland expressed the support ofthe Obama administration for President Toure.She said Mali has been a leading democracyin West Africa and its democracy must be respected.VICTORIA NULAND: "The United Statescondemns the military seizure of power in Mali.We echo the statements of the African Union,of ECOWAS and of other international partnersin denouncing these actions.We've called for calm. We've calledfor restoration of the civilian governmentunder constitutional rule without delay,so that the elections can proceed as scheduled."The United States has been providing Maliwith as much as one hundred forty million dollars a yearin security, economic and financial assistance.That is in addition to humanitarian aid.Ms. Nuland says the change of power in Libyahas affected security in the Sahel area,with rebels again fighting for an independent Islamic state.VICTORIA NULAND: "It's certainly truethat there has been increasing concern inside Maliabout Tuareg activity over the last number of months,and particularly since the Tuaregs have had less to fightabout in Libya and have moved on to Mali."Tuareg rebels have taken control of several towns in the north.The United Nations says the fighting has forcedat least one hundred thirty thousand people from their homes.The military uprising started on Wednesday.The next day, the soldiers announced a National Committeefor the Recovery of Democracy and the Restoration of the State.They promised elections but set no date.In Bamako, people from Tuaregand Arab ethnic groups say the soldiers must workto avoid renewed discrimination against those groups.Many Malians thought the governmentwas poorly handling the Tuareg rebellion.Still, people had praise for government effortsto spread the message not to treat Tuareg civiliansor other light-skinned groups unfairly.And that's IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English.