Ancient Scrolls Torched in Mali

Before their recent ouster, according to the Toronto Star, extremists in Mali set fire to a library containing ancient manuscripts, some dating to the 12th Century.  The Ahmed Baba Institute in Timbuktu housed over 30,000 documents and was destroyed as part of a campaign to cleanse the area of "un-Islamic" elements, which also included the destruction of several hundred ancient tombs.

Muslim Shrines Destroyed in Timbuktu

The July 2, 2012 issue of The Australian reports that the ancient tombs of Muslim saints Sidi Mahmoud, Sidi Moctar, and Alpha Moya were destroyed in Timbuktu by an Islamic militant group named Ansar Dine.  The group believes that such shrines are idolatrous, and has stated it plans to continue destroying "every mausoleum in the city . . . all of them, without exception."  The action has led to condemnation from the government in Mali and UNESCO, which had placed Timbuktu on its list of endangered World Heritage sites.