In 2012, the attacks carried out by the islamist forces of Ansar Dine and AQIM in Timbuktu led to the destruction of several buildings and sacred places that were part of the cultural heritage of this city, which also has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988. In an international war context such as the current one, the preservation of the cultural heritage of territories should be part of the strategy to be followed to achieve the SDGs. What is cultural heritage, what does it represent, how is it protected, and what role does it play in this case study, are some of the questions it seeks to answer through a review of a unique case that placed cultural heritage at the center of the international agenda, and which would later constitute the first sentence by the International Criminal Court for the destruction of cultural heritage.