In the afternoon of 12 March 2013, during "clean-up" operations in the Ifoghas mountains, an armed confrontation took place between a group of Chadian soldiers and jihadists that resulted in the deaths of one soldier and six Islamists fighters. While patrolling the El-Hacher valley for Islamists activity, they were ambushed by a party of 20 or so armed Islamists fighters. The attack was repulsed, and ended in the deaths of six Islamists and a Chadian soldier, who was killed by stray bullets. Five Islamists were taken as prisoners, and sent back to the military base in Kidal.