SUMMARY

The conflict between the Yoda clan and the DZ Mafia was rooted in competition for control over drug trafficking points in the Cité la Paternelle, Marseille, France. The two organizations had originally operated as part of a broader criminal arrangement within the same territory before coming into direct confrontation. Tensions between the two groups grew as Félix Bingui, leader of the Yoda clan, consolidated his position during the COVID-19 pandemic, while Mehdi Abdelatif Laribi, leader of the DZ Mafia, remained incarcerated.

The conflict was driven by territorial and economic logic, centered on control over drug distribution points. A violent altercation between Bingui and Laribi in February 2023 served as the immediate trigger for open hostilities between the two organizations.

Both organizations employed firearms, most notably Kalashnikov assault rifles, as well as beatings and targeted executions. Both organizations targeted lower-ranking members of rival networks, including lookouts and street-level dealers. The conflict extended beyond French territory into Catalonia, Spain.

The non-state conflict between Yoda and DZ Mafia is first included in UCDP data in 2023. The 25-death threshold was reached in late June of that year. However, the fighting continued and reached over 50 deaths in total.