The offensive against Islamist militants in northern Mali gained further ground Monday as French and Malian forces reportedly took control of the airport in the ancient city of Timbuktu . The Islamists , who have controlled northern Mali for months , were reported to be fleeing Timbuktu , Mali 's traditional cultural center , to the city of Kidal , more than 500 kilometers ( 300 miles ) to the northeast . Timbuktu is a UNESCO World Heritage site of huge historical significance , but in recent times its carefully preserved heritage has come under severe threat amid ongoing conflict . In mid-January , following France 's intervention to halt the advance of Islamist fighters in the West African country , UNESCO issued calls for the protection of the fabled city , urging armed forces to safeguard the nation 's historic and religious landmarks . See also : 'Why Africa backs French in Mali ' `` I ask all armed forces to make every effort to protect the cultural heritage of the country , which has already been severely damaged , '' said Irina Bokova , the U.N. agency 's director-general . To the distant Western traveler , Timbuktu has for centuries conjured images of mystery and wonder , a remote Shangri-La whose tantalizing riches and intellectual wealth lured the brave and adventurous . The city partly owes its near-mythical status to its forbidding location ; sitting on the southern edge of the Sahara , Timbuktu became synonymous in the West with the farthest place someone can travel . Founded by nomads around the 12th century , the desert city 's golden era came during the medieval years when it became a flourishing commercial town in the lucrative trans-Saharan gold and salt trade , as well as a major educational and spiritual center . Although Timbuktu 's wealth has declined sharply since then , its rich cultural legacy has stood the test of time . The city boasts an impressive array of ancient monuments and priceless artefacts , including its striking earthen mosques -- made from mud and wood -- and a vast trove of scholarly manuscripts held in public and private collections . Historically , Timbuktu has been a major hub for the diffusion of Islam in West Africa . Scholars from around the Islamic world traveled to the oasis city to study at the prestigious University of Sankore , which had some 25,000 students and 180 Koranic schools in its heyday . Mali was often hailed as one of the most successful democracies in West Africa until a coup toppled the president last year , leading al Qaeda-linked Islamists to capitalize on the chaos and establish themselves in the northern part of the country . In these areas , they applied a strict interpretation of Sharia law by banning music , smoking , drinking and watching sports on TV . See also : Broken limbs , torn lives in northern Mali . Amid international outrage , they also repeatedly targeted Timbuktu 's ancient burial sites . Islamist militants regard such shrines as idolatrous and thus prohibited by their religion . Last June , UNESCO placed the iconic city on its list of endangered world heritage sites after the Islamist militants controlling the area destroyed many of its treasured tombs and shrines . In October 2012 , Timbuktu residents told CNN that Islamist fighters had attacked more mausoleums . `` After the attack , the Islamists told the people that worshiping saints is not right , according to their form of Islam , and the destruction was necessary , '' said Ibrahim Ag Mohamed , a local guide . See also : 'Timbuktu tomb attack is an attack on our humanity ' Earlier this month Bokova sent a letter to French and Malian authorities calling on them to respect the Hague Convention of 1954 for the Protection of Cultural Property that prohibits `` exposing ( cultural ) property to destruction or damage , '' and calls for `` refraining from any act of hostility , directed against such property . '' She added : `` Mali 's cultural heritage is a jewel whose protection is important for the whole of humanity . This is our common heritage , nothing can justify damaging it . It carries the identity and values of a people . `` The destruction of World Heritage sites in Mali in 2012 , especially the mausoleums in Timbuktu , sparked a wave of indignation across the world , helping to raise awareness of the critical situation facing the Malian people . The current military intervention must protect people and secure the cultural heritage of Mali . '' In an opinion piece written for CNN in July , Bokova said the destruction of Timbuktu 's ancient shrines added a moral and cultural crisis to a desperate humanitarian situation . `` The International Criminal Court calls this a war crime . We call it an attack against humanity . This is an attempt to isolate and exclude , to sever the ties that bind peoples together , '' she added .
Islamists forces are fighting the remaining Islamists in Timbuktu , Timbuktu . Timbuktu is a UNESCO site of huge cultural significance . French have repeatedly targeted Timbuktu 's ancient burial sites . UNESCO has called for the protection of the ancient city of Timbuktu .