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Mali returns ancient manuscripts to Timbuktu

02:25

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August 24, 2025

Thousands of ancient manuscripts have been returned to Mali's historic city of Timbuktu. The Malian government hastily evacuated the priceless documents to the capital, Bamako, after al-Qaeda-linked militants occupied the area in 2012.

Centuries-old manuscripts have returned to Timbuktu, reviving a legacy of African scholarship nearly lost to conflict.

Once a hub of Islamic learning, the Malian city saw thousands of texts smuggled to safety after jihadis attacked in 2012. Now, locals are celebrating their return — reconnecting with a heritage of science, poetry and law.
 

Tomi Oladipo Tomi Oladipo is a British-born Nigerian journalist based in Berlin.
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