Islamists Destroy Heritage Site

Locals in the Malian city of Timbuktu have said that they will fight back “with sticks and stones” against al Qaeda–linked Islamists who destroyed ancient tombs on Saturday. The graves are classified as UNESCO World Heritage sites. “The youth of Timbuktu is preparing to retaliate against the desecration of the graves of our saint,” said city resident Ali Yattara. The militants are thought to have targeted the mausoleums of three Muslim saints because of local veneration for the sites. On Thursday, UNESCO placed the tombs on its “in danger” list at the request of officials in Mali, an action that may have caused the militants to attack.