Rebuilding Timbuktu's historical buildings

Timbuktu, a world heritage site in northern Mali, was a centre for the propagation of Islam throughout Africa in the 15th and 16th centuries, and remains famous for its historical mosques and mausoleums as well as its libraries of ancient religious manuscripts. In 2012 Timbuktu's historical legacy was placed at risk when the city was seized by Islamist militants, and more than a dozen mausoleums and other religious buildings were destroyed.

While the international community strongly backed calls to rebuild the destroyed buildings after the Islamists left Timbuktu, UNESCO has reportedly struggled to raised even a quarter of the USD11 million estimated for the project. 

Meanwhile, local builders have pushed forward with their own rebuilding efforts using traditional methods and local materials, although a great deal of work remains to be done.