SUMMARY

The Kounta is a berber-arab ethnic group that today inhabits northern Mali. The Kounta claims to be descendants of Arab traders, and have been present in northern Mali and Mauretania since the eleventh century. A central issue to the group is religion; many are Marabouts; Islamic religious leaders who also practice magic and traditional medicine.

The Kounta people were victim to repressions as the French claimed the better parts of today’s Mali and Mauretania as their colonies. A large number of Kountas were incorporated into the French armed forces, in the special Méhariste squadron, a camel cavalry that was frequently used in the Saharan region by the French forces. The post colonial period in Mali and the neighbouring countries proved to be difficult for the groups that had previously led a nomadic life. As borders were redrawn, and new, superior trade systems were initiated, several of the nomadic groups were forced to become more permanently settled.

The Kountas have during the 1990’s and 2000’s been involved in small scale communal violence. The most notable clashes were fought over political control over small villages in the northernmost parts of Mali.

The Kountas have been involved in the non-state category of UCDP organised violence.