SUMMARY

The conflict between the ethnic Tuareg CMA (originally MNLA) and the Arab MAA was played out in the context of the general upheaval following the former’s lightning offensive in northern Mali in 2012 (Mali: Azawad).

The population in the northern part of Mali is divided between a number of different ethnic groups, with the Tuareg people making up a majority of the inhabitants, followed by Arabs, Fulani, and Songhay. There are deep divisions between these groups (as well as within especially the Tuareg community); they do not share the same culture or traditions and they have different interests and political agendas. When the separatist Tuareg MNLA (later CMA) quickly seized large swaths of territory, forcing the Malian army to retreat, the other ethnic groups in the region responded by setting up their own armed groups. MAA was created on the initiative of wealthy Arab businessmen in order to protect Arab interests in the north.

Even though MAA was established as a reaction to the MNLA (and Islamist, see Mali: Government), the two groups initially had a relatively good relationship. However, this changed in early 2013. As the violence in the region continued, there was a polarization between the ethnic groups, and reports began to surface of civilians being targeted on an ethnic basis. Ould Taleb, a leader of the MAA accused MNLA fighters of "looting the goods of our relatives" and "raping our daughters and our wives", and on 23 February the Arab group attacked MNLA positions in In Khalil village and in the ensuing fighting dozens of fighters were reportedly killed. The following months saw sporadic fighting between the two groups, generally connected to an accusation of MNLA abuses of the civilian Arab population.

However, attempts were made to reconcile the movements and in June MAA participated in negotiations with MNLA and another Tuareg group, HCUA, in Ouagadougou. Subsequently, in August, they issued a joint statement calling for autonomy for Azawad.

The non-state conflict between CMA (originally MNLA) and MAA is first included in UCDP data in 2013. On 16 August of that year, fighting in Infarag village caused the conflict to cross the 25 battle-related deaths threshold.