After leaving French Sudan in January 1899, they ruthlessly subjugated the native peoples, meeting little resistance.

One of the few to resist was the sorcerer queen Sarraounia, ruler of the Azna, a pagan people in a long Islamized region.

Determined to bar the expedition's road, Sarraounia wrote to Voulet a provocative letter full of insults; the French took up the challenge, and on 15 April left the camp, marching towards the villages of Lougou and Tougana, where Sarraounia had concentrated her forces.

The French met a strong resistance, killing two riflemen and wounding four, but were at the end successful and forced the Azna to escape.

The battle had protracted itself till 13:00, and among the French tirailleurs four were killed and six wounded, with 7,000 cartridges consumed.