Iraq on Monday exhibited several ancient artefacts that it said had been returned by the United States and other countries, long after they were looted and smuggled out following the 2003 U.S. invasion.
Ancient artifacts, that were stolen from Iraq and returned after they were seized by the U.S. government, are displayed at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Baghdad, Iraq July 8, 2024. Reuters/Ahmed Saad
Iraq on Monday exhibited several ancient artefacts that it said had been returned by the United States and other countries, long after they were looted and smuggled out following the 2003 U.S. invasion.
Iraqi authorities have been trying to retrieve thousands of archaeological relics missing since the invasion, which was followed by widespread looting in the country that some historians regard as the cradle of civilisation.
Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein handed the recently recovered relics over to Culture, Tourism and Antiquities Minister Ahmed al-Badrani at a ceremony in Baghdad.
Most of the artefacts on display at the foreign ministry headquarters were returned by the U.S. after a visit by Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani to Washington in April, Badrani said.
He said other relics had been returned by other states, but gave no details.
Hussein said more "rare archeological collections" would be returned by Switzerland and Japan this month.
Reporting by Ahmed Rasheed
Two attackers killed five people and wounded 22 others on Wednesday in what Ankara called a terrorist attack at the Turkish Aerospace Industries headquarters, where witnesses said they heard gunfire and an explosion.
Here are some of the issues underpinning ties between Tayyip Erdogan and Vladimir Putin, who are set to meet on Wednesday in Russia on the sidelines of the summit of the BRICS grouping which NATO-member Turkey has voiced interest in joining:
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Wednesday that Israel's response to Iran's Oct. 1 missile barrage should not lead to greater escalation, as he pushed for a Gaza ceasefire and an end to fighting in Lebanon.
To make this website run properly and to improve your experience, we use cookies. For more detailed information, please check our Cookie Policy.
Necessary cookies enable core functionality. The website cannot function properly without these cookies, and can only be disabled by changing your browser preferences.