About: Sidi Mahmoud Ben Amar

Sidi Mahmoud Ben Amar (also known as Sidi Amar, Cadi Sidi Mahmoud, or Sidi Mahmoud) was a revered Muslim scholar who is one of the 333 Sufi saints said to be buried in Timbuktu. The tomb of Sidi Mahmoud Ben Amar is among 16 cemeteries and mausolea that are a part of Timbuktu, which is classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. On 30 June 2012, it was reported that his tomb had been destroyed by Ansar Dine following the Battle of Gao, as it contravened sharia according to Ansar Dine. These attacks resemble those carried out by the Wahabist movement on the Arabian peninsula during the late 18th century.