A week prior to the clashes at Touzik, a pro-government militia composed of Imghad Tuaregs (considered a vassal clan of Tuaregs by northern Ifoghas Tuaregs) encroached on Kidal, the capital of Kidal region and the headquarters of a coalition of rebel Ifoghas groups, the Coordination of Azawad Movements.[1] Fighting broke out in Kidal, and GATIA was pushed out of the city.[1]
A resurgence in fighting between the CMA and GATIA broke out on July 30, thirty-five kilometers southeast of Kidal near the village of Touzik.[2] Both sides blamed each other for initiating the fighting.[3] The fighting began in the morning, and that afternoon, both sides received reinforcements and resumed their attacks on one another.[4] Smaller clashes took place in Adjlal and Tassik.[5]
Fahad Ag Almahmoud, the secretary-general of GATIA, claimed six CMA fighters were killed in the clashes.[6] Malian media Kibaru, however, gave a death toll of twenty-five High Council for the Unity of Azawad (a member of the CMA) fighters and only one GATIA death.[5]
A September 2016 United Nations report gave a death toll of five fighters killed on both sides each, with three CMA members wounded and four captured by GATIA.[7]
GATIA
