GATIA was founded on 14 August 2014 as a
self-defense group of armed locals, in response to the
Malian Army's total defeat in the
2nd Battle of Kidal on 21 May 2014 by the
National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA). In collaboration with
French forces, GATIA and the
Movement for the Salvation of Azawad (MSA) launched a joint-operation on 23 February 2018 to capture or kill
Abu Walid al-Sahrawi, the
ISIL commander in Mali. Al-Sahrawi survived and managed to evade capture, but six ISIL militants were killed in the
clashes. GATIA-MSA forces
clashed with ISIL militants from 2 to 5 June 2018. ISIL commander
Almahmoud Ag Akawkaw was captured, while
Amat Ag Assalate was killed during the battle. On December 1, 2024, a former commander of GATIA, Fahad Ag Almahmoud, was assassinated in a drone strike by the Malian army. == Ideology ==