May 5 (Reuters) – Separatist rebels in Mali seized Timbuktu and two other regional capitals in April to create an independent state called Azawad.
Timbuktu is controlled by Ansar Dine, which experts say has links with local al Qaeda factions, though the airport is in the hands of the MNLA rebel group.
The town has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988 and tourism has suffered from years of security problems. Gunmen seized three foreigners and killed a fourth on a street in Timbuktu last November. Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) claimed responsibility.
Ansar Dine militants attacked and burned the tomb of one of the town’s saints on Friday, residents said.
Here is a look at what remains in the ancient city:
BUILDINGS
