Iconic Timbuktu mosque attacked by Islamist rebels
7th July 2012
The 15th century Sidi Yahia mosque, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, has been desecrated by militants, claiming that it contravenes Islamic law
The armed group Ansar Dine, said to be linked with al-Qaeda, took control of Timbuktu earlier this year and have been desecrating the city's shrines since. So far they have wrecked eight of 16 listed mausoleums. They claim that the shrines are idolatrous and go against the Islamic line that tombs should be no more than six inches tall.
The new chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Fatou Bensouda, described the destruction as a “war crime”.
In view of onlookers, the group tore down the door to the mosque, sacred to the inhabitants of Timbuktu, who believed that the door should not be opened until the end of eternity. The groups have been reportedly wrecking the tombs with chisels and hoes.
UNESCO declared Timbuktu a World Heritage Site in Danger only last week, which some suggest may have provoked the group into destroying the mosque. UNESCO rejected any link between the statement and the attack, but have appealed against the action and called for the destruction of the scared tombs to stop, calling it “a crime against history”.
UNESCO already expressed concerns over Timbuktu's ancient mosques and mausoleums earlier this year. Merely weeks after the city was taken, armed men desecrated one of the shrines. Lazare Eloundou Assomo, head of the Africa unit at UNESCO's World Heritage Centre, said: “It's crucial that we declare these sites as important to the entire world and it's everyone's responsibility to protect them.”
Travellers from the UK are advised from the FCO to avoid all travel to the country, citing a high threat of terrorism and kidnapping.
More like this
Ben Lopez on how to survive being kidnapped | Interviews... More
Timbuktu was named a threatened destination in 2010 by Wanderlust | Destinations... More
Mauritania, Mali and Niger: high risk of kidnapping | News... More
Top tips for travelling in a post-Osama world | Advice...
More