The conflict began when Northern Mali declared itself independent from the government, creating the unrecognized state of Azawad.

The beginning of 2013 led to the start of the French intervention in Mali that ousted the Islamists from the North's cities and brought back Malian authority.

The MNLA recaptured several important towns in the Kidal Region but refused to disarm or hand them over to the Malian government.

Since its Independence in April 2012, the MNLA has been skeptical of Islamist influence over their new state's future and the implementation of sharia law.

The MNLA Secretary General Bilal Ag Acherif was wounded in the battle that also killed four colonels.

The town of Ménaka's defenders were capitulated in a two-day siege that killed one MNLA member and seven pro-MNLA self-defense volunteers including a prominent political leader Alwabegat Ag Salakatou.

In December, the now displaced MNLA began peace talks with the Malian government and relinquished its previous goal for Independence in favor of self-rule in Northern Mali.

At this time the MNLA controlled no big localities and was only strong in rural desert areas in the North, having been driven off from cities in the South.

Islamists guerrillas operating the Adrar des Ifoghas mountains launched an offensive of their own terrorizing MNLA dominated towns with suicide bombings.

Reprisal attacks targeting Fulani Islamists resumed into an armed confrontation that killed a MNLA member.