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Tuareg rebels in northern Mali attacked the positions of a pro-government militia on Monday, in fighting that is undermining government attempts to pacify the region, sources from both groups said.
Secessionist Tuaregs signed a peace agreement in June that Western countries, including France, hope will allow the Malian army to focus on stamping out Islamist groups, some of them linked to al-Qaeda.
But tensions have been rising again, and neighbouring Niger is due to host talks to ease the situation on Wednesday.
A spokesperson for the Platform, an alliance of pro-government groups, said fighters from the Tuareg Co-ordination of Azawad Movements (CMA) had attacked two Platform positions in the early morning, in the third day of clashes.
“I think that they are looking for a pretext to boycott the meeting in Niamey by saying there are clashes in the north,” said Fahad Ag Almahamoud, a leader of the Gatia militia, which belongs to the Platform.
