SUMMARY
The Tuareg are an ethnic group residing in the northern parts of western Africa. Being a nomadic and pastoral tribe, the Tuareg are not confined to any country; they are present in a number of states.
The history of the Tuareg people stretch far back, they have been present in the Saharan region, operating trade routes for over two millennia. Based on trade and camel herding the Tuareg were prosperous, they dominated the trade in northern Africa, influencing the region in terms of language and culture. In the late nineteenth century the Tuareg were faced with French colonial aggression as the French moved on the Tuareg homelands in Sahara. The Tuareg, ill equipped and less coordinated than the invading French forces were quickly subdued. Following the redrawing of the African map they found themselves in a new situation. The Tuareg were, given the new and largely arbitrary borders, put in a context were there nomadic lifestyle and trade based culture left them without a homeland of their own. Given the situation of post colonial Africa the nomadic lifestyle had become increasingly difficult. Desertification, the growing urbanization, and superior trade routes were all developments that made the traditional lifestyle of the Tuareg difficult. For some the solution was to abandon the nomadic lifestyle and settle in the growing urban areas, others choose to actively strive to preserve the unique Tuareg features. During the 1970’s a large number of Tuareg were concentrated to Libya, a few consecutive years of drought had forced a large number of Tuareg to settle in the North African country. In Libya this Tuareg minority was incorporated into the Libyan national army. After receiving training and equipment from Libya the Tuareg, as a result of an economic decline, were disbanded from the Libyan national army. This left the Tuareg with a well trained and well equipped outfit that had no affiliation to a specific country. In the wake of the expulsion from the Libyan national army an organized group was formed, the MPLA (Mouvement populaire de lAzaouad; Azawad Peoples Movement), this group subsequently splintered forming various factions of Tuareg fighters such as ARLA (Armeé révolutionnaire de liberation de l’Azaouad; Revolutionary Army for the Liberation of Azaouad), and FPLA (Front Populaire de Libération de l'Azawad; Popular Liberation Front of Azawad). These groups are all Tuareg groups that have at one point been involved in organised violence (for more information on each actor, see their actor descriptions in the database).
The Tuareg have been involved in the non-state category of UCDP organised violence.
