 Minnawi belongs to the Zaghawa ethnic group, the Ila Digen (or Awlad Digayn) clan of the non-Arab, Saharan Zaghawa people.Minnawi signed a treaty, known as the Darfur Peace Agreement, with the Khartoum government in May 2006.Nevertheless, in July 2006, fighting broke out around the North Darfur town of Korma, resulting in the deaths of at least 80 people.