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Mali returns ancient manuscripts to Timbuktu

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.

https://p.dw.com/p/4zQCP

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.
 

DW News Africa presenter Tomi Oladipo
Tomi Oladipo Tomi Oladipo is a British-born Nigerian journalist based in Berlin.
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