The records of the past are constantly under threat, whether it come from people burning books, those who try to rewrite the past or archaeological sites that get caught in the crossfire of petty wars. Many historical locations, especially those of a more distant past, were built as fortresses originally and thus make perfect places for soldiers to hide during their fights. This often brings buildings which are thousands of years old under fire from guns and artillery. The latest archaeological wonder to come under siege is the city of Timbuktu, located in northern Mali.
Mali has been a hotbed of violent activity as of late. A coup recently overthrew the government and for many months there have been skirmishes in the north between government troops and separatists who have been attempting to establish their own independent state. When the coup hit Mali, forces in the form of Tuareg rebels and Islamic fighters took control of Timbuktu.
