Another of Mali's festivals -- The Festival in the Desert outside Timbuktu - once attracted thousands of visitors, but it has not been held since 2012, when jihadists entered the ancient city.

Musicians and traders flock to Mali's ancient city despite a blockade from Islamist fighters. ... "This festival gives them some kind of legitimacy, it gives a sense of normalcy, ...

It became a chance for me to probe the truly uncommon story of a festival that I hadn't experienced personally, but that has long fascinated me. Festival au Desert started in 2001 as a small Sahara ...