THERE IS AN ANCIENT CITY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SAHARA DESERT THAT IS BEING DESTROYED FOR NO GOOD REASON

Sarah,

This story needs some background, but it's pretty damn interesting.  Basically, rebels in the country of Mali have conquered a swath of Sahara desert and are destroying the incredibly unique city of Timbuktu.  It is infuriating.

Background:

Mali is an African country situated on the Southern Edge of the Sahara Desert. The Northern half of the country has a desert climate and is populated by the Taureg people. These people descended from the Berbers of North Africa and Egypt. (Think nomads on camels that wear awesome turbans).

The Southern half of the country is wetter, with some areas classified as tropical. This part of the country is dominated by tribes of sub-Saharan ethnicity.(more African than Middle Eastern) More than 90 percent of the country’s population lives in the South.

Map of Mali

Last March, the army (the regular army, not the rebels) overthrew the democratically elected government based in the South.  At about the same time, defeated rebels from Libya (a country directly north of Mali that recently went through its own revolution) poured in the country from the North.

The resulting confusion allowed the Taureg people of Northern Mali to declare independence from Southern Mali.  Although initially successful, the revolution was soon hijacked by an extreme Islamist group named Ansar Dine.  This group has links to Al-Qaeda and is enforcing Sharia (Islamic) law.  More specifically they are destroying the city of Timbuktu.

Timbuktu:

Timbuktu was founded around 1100 A.D. (at this time Europe was still in the “dark ages”).  The city flourished because it was located in the Sahara desert but was still connected to the South by a river. (the Niger River flows north into the Sahara before curving back South into Southern Mali)  If someone managed to make it across the Sahara, they’d reach Timbuktu first.  Accordingly, it was a connecting point between the Arabs of North Africa and African tribes south of the Sahara.

By 1300, the city had reached a golden age and the king of Mali constructed a Royal Palace, Islamic learning centers, mosques and mausoleums for Sufi Muslim saints. (Sufism is a mystical version of Islam)  Keep in mind this is all going on in the middle of desert in the year 1350. 

Now the Ansar Dine is tearing down every tomb and mausoleum in the city, some of which are over 700 years old. 

Why?  Because, although they are Muslim tombs, they are Sufi Muslim tombs.  The Ansar Dine do not recognize Sufism as legitimate and consider the tombs to be idolatry. 

The Dinjguereber Mosque

Unfortunately, little is being done to stop the Ansar Dine.  The Malian army has not taken action and efforts to create an international force have stalled.  Most of the region's Christians have fled.  For now, the Ansar Dine are able to do what they want.

Bottom line: Avoid being in a power vaccuum in Africa.  That's were the worst stuff usually happens.