In the first case of its kind, the Islamic extremist Ahmad al-Faqi al-Mahdi has today (22 August), pleaded guilty to war crimes for destroying historic monuments in the ancient city of Timbuktu in northern Mali. Al-Mahdi is accused of ordering the razing of nine mausoleums and the 15th-century Sidi Yahia mosque. It is the first time the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague has heard a case about the demolition of cultural heritage. — theartnewspaper.com
Learn more about Timbuktu's outstanding value as a world heritage site on UNESCO's website.
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What a shame...Did they mostly use mud to construct it?
Al Jazeera's Paul Brennan, reporting from The Hague, described Mahdi's ICC trial as "genuinely groundbreaking" for several reasons.
"It's the first case arising from the 2012 conflict in Mali and the first time that destruction of religious and historical sites has been made a priority charge as a war crime," he said.
"Finally, it's the first time that an ICC war crimes defendant has pleaded guilty."
Al Jazeera
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