Why Timbuktu war crimes case matters

A suspected Islamist militant accused of destroying historic monuments in the Malian city of Timbuktu faces war crimes charges at the International Criminal Court (ICC), in the first case of its kind.

Ahmad al-Faqi al-Mahdi is the first person to appear before the ICC for a case concerning the destruction of cultural heritage.

Diplomatic correspondent Caroline Hawley explains the significance of the case.

Video produced by Paul Harris