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ALFELLAGA 167southward to Kidal. Here, operations were led by Elledi ag Alla and IkhlouSaloum. The third zone extended from Mount Ouzzein southwards, where operationswere led by Azzezen ag Iksa and Mohamed ag Amane. 30 The divisioninto zones and units, and the assumed leadership in each zone is striking. It islogical that those who were most familiar with the area led units and that otherunit members should be familiar with the terrain as well, but it seems unitcomposition was partly organised according to tribal affiliation. The area betweenMount Tigharghar and Mount Doriet, Boughessa and Mount Ouzzein iswhere most Irayaken live. Elledi ag Alla and Ikhlou Saloum, both Irayaken, ledoperations during Alfellaga in this zone. Azzezen ag Iksa, a Telgetghat, ledoperations in the Ouzzein area, but he did so together with Mohamed ag Amane,an Arayak. The Timetrine is an area generally inhabited by the Idnan, thetribe to which Sidi Alamine and Issouf ag Cheick belonged. Their group wassignificantly smaller than the groups around Elledi ag Alla and Azzezen agIksa, fifteen men at most.Operations were planned at the rebel base in Algeria at Takormiasse. Mostplanned attacks consisted of raids on camel herds or fixed army posts. Unitswere selected, mounts, arms and ammunition were distributed, and routes toMali and back were discussed. The road to take depended on information on thepresence of Malian forces (to attack or to avoid) and the situation at the wellsthe ifulagen used to take in water. The units mostly travelled by night, spendingthe day in hiding while scouts gathered information. Ambushes on encounteredarmy columns were decided upon on the spot. It was a general tactic to onlyattack small forces disadvantaged by the terrain. When a rebel was captured, theplanned operation was cancelled in fear of the captured rebel disclosing the planof attack. Operations in Mali were kept as short as possible, followed by retreatinto Algeria where the rebels were safe from the Malian forces. 31The Malian Armed ForcesThe basic unit of the Malian Armed Forces was the Compagnie de CommandosAutonomes (CCA). 32 Each CCA consisted of one command section; four commandounits of about sixty men each; an artillery unit; about forty vehicles andfive armoured cars. In all there existed ten CCA units, which formed the core ofthe Malian Armed Forces, complemented with a separate tank squadron, an airbornesquadron, and several paramilitary organisations. The former colonial303132Ibid.Interrogatoire du prisonnier rebelle Eladi ag Alla par le Capitaine Diby Sillas Diarra,Commandant d’armes et du Cercle de Kidal, 13/03/1964. ACK.This paragraph is entirely based on: Mali, Tableau des forces armées et forces publiquesdu Mali au 1er mai 1964. CHETOM – 15 H 77-2c.