Fighting in Mali's north between Tuaregs, government militia

BAMAKO, Mali (AP) ' Tuareg separatists fought with a government-allied armed group for a third day Monday in battles that broke a peace accord signed earlier this year, both groups said.Fighters with the separatist Coordination of Azawad Movements attacked government-allied forces early Monday on two fronts in the Kidal region in Mali's north, said Fahad Ag Mahmoud, a spokesman for the pro-government militia known as GATIA.But the Tuareg separatist forces claimed they had been dislodged from their positions in Edjerer in the Kidal region by the government-allied militias over the weekend, Almouzamil Ag Mohamed, spokesman for Azawad movements, said on Sunday.Neither side gave casualty figures. Mali's government called for calm.The fighting breaks a peace accord that was signed by the government, its allied armed groups and the Tuareg separatists in May and June this year.The United Missions in Mali urged the parties to immediately stop fighting, it said in a statement Monday. A U.N. team was heading to the area to investigate the situation, it said."The growing number of violations are of great concern to the international community and the population and may hinder progress made toward a stable and lasting peace for Mali," it said.The mission said it would not hesitate to take action within its mandates if the civilian population is threatened.The government-allied militia has been in the territory occupied by Tuareg separatists since July. Their initial presence was accepted, but separatists say their continued occupation of the land is against the terms of the accord.Mali's north continues to be troubled by attacks by Islamic extremists targeting U.N. peacekeepers and government forces.Join the conversation about this story
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