Rebel Islamists are on a mission to destroy Timbuktu's history.

The rebel group Ansar Dine has destroyed several Timbuktu mausoleums, tombs, and shrines in an attempt to purify the Islamic world.

For centuries, Timbuktu was a trade and educational mecca for Islamists. Now, historians fear they may lose it all.

Souleymane Bachir Diagne, a Columbia University professor told Reuters, "They are striking at the heart of what Timbuktu stands for ....Mali and the world are losing a lot."

UNESCO held a meeting in St. Petersburg on Tuesday with Malian Culture Minister Toure to encourage other countries and organizations to join forces to prevent any further destruction in Timbuktu.