A/HRC/34/72 out by the forces deployed under operation Barkhane. The Independent Expert notes that allegations of arbitrary detentions and other human rights violations continue to be made against these forces. He has been informed that MINUSMA forces were allegedly involved in three cases of human rights violations and these allegations are currently being investigated by the National Investigations Officer and his team and by the MINUSMA Conduct and Discipline Team. 2. Human rights violations committed by armed groups 47. From April to September 2016, the Human Rights and Protection Division recorded 143 cases of deprivation of liberty by armed groups: the CMA, the Platform, Al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), Ansar Eddine, Movement for Unity and Jihad in West Africa and other unidentified armed groups. During the period under consideration, renewed armed clashes at irregular intervals between the signatory groups, the CMA and the Platform, led to a rise in the number of arrests of members of these groups. For the same period, the Human Rights and Protection Division recorded 31 arrests of suspected CMA or Platform combatants by the opposing group. All of them were released before the end of the period. Since 30 September, 13 identified members of armed groups and the Malian forces (5 from the Malian forces, 5 from the Platform, 2 from the CMA and 1 from the Movement for Unity and Jihad in West Africa) are still being detained by the CMA (6), the Platform (1), Ansar Eddine (5) and an unidentified group (1). 48. Moreover, the abductions and enforced disappearances attributed to armed groups in the regions of Mopti, Gao, Timbuktu and Kidal that were observed during the previous reporting periods continued during the period under review. At least 76 men, including 2 boys, were reportedly abducted between April and September 2016 (compared with 20 men and 3 boys between October 2015 and March 2016). According to the Human Rights and Protection Division, the latter included 5 members of the Malian armed forces abducted in Nampala since July 2016 by Ansar Eddine, 2 members of the CMA abducted by an unknown group (one was found dead and the other is still missing), 3 members of staff of the International Committee of the Red Cross who were abducted for six days by Ansar Eddine and 68 individuals, presumed to be civilians, who were abducted by the Platform (53), the CMA (2), AQIM (4), ANSIPRJ (1) and an unidentified armed group (8). By the end of the period, some 15 civilians remained victims of abduction by the Mouvement national de libération de l’Azawad (2), the Platform (2), AQIM (2) and an unidentified armed group (8). 49. Armed groups have been directly or indirectly involved in opportunistic attacks on civilian populations in the northern regions. These include ambushes carried out by unidentified armed groups targeting civilians along main roads, and attacks during market days or against military or government institutions or other symbols of the State. The setting up of checkpoints along these main roads by armed groups is not only a clear violation of the peace agreement but also a threat to the civilian population and to the protection of human rights. All the armed groups engage in such activities and the Independent Expert has been informed that at one point there were 20 CMA checkpoints in the region of Timbuktu. These checkpoints have become places where civilians are subjected to ransom and extortion. There have also been many incidents in which NGOs have been targeted. The Independent Expert has received several reports that individuals in vehicles presumed to be members of the Groupe d’autodéfense des Touaregs Imghad et leurs alliés broke into the World Food Programme warehouse in Kidal on 6 June and stole stocks equivalent to one month’s humanitarian assistance. By the time of the Independent Expert’s mission, the Comité de sécurité mixte de l’Azawad à Kidal (CSMAK) had not opened an investigation into the incident. 50. The involvement of armed groups in human rights abuses has been reported. These abuses, which have been attributed to the CMA, the Platform and other unidentified groups in Timbuktu, Gao and Kidal, mainly consist of extortion, arbitrary executions, ill-treatment and intimidation, according to the information brought to the attention of the Independent Expert. These acts are a blatant violation of the peace agreement and, as regards the joint patrols provided for in the agreement, these developments highlight the need for an 10 GE.17-02058