We've heard the name Timbuktu in movies and songs. It seems like an established place people know about and visit. But is it, really? These days, we must report that this is a danger zone, and has been for many years. The ancient city located 20 km north of the Niger River in Mali is a site of rebel violence, and all sorts of people have been attacked. Visiting is not reccommended, to say the least.
Like many sites in the world, this attraction isn't actually gone. But due to the realities on the ground, it is functionally irrelevant. You may never get to see this place with your own eyes. But we hope we are wrong!