Iraq recovers over 6,250 stolen artifacts, culture ministry says

Shafaq News/ Iraq has recovered more than 6,250 stolen and smuggled artifacts in cooperation with international partners, the head of the country's Antiquities and Heritage Board said on Wednesday.

Ali Obaid Shalgam made the announcement during a speech at a conference on protecting Iraq's cultural heritage in Nineveh earlier in the day.

"The current Iraqi government is playing a significant role in retrieving stolen and smuggled artifacts," Shalgam said.

He added that the recovered pieces are currently housed in the Iraqi Museum.

The announcement comes amid ongoing efforts by Iraq to reclaim its cultural heritage, which suffered greatly from looting and destruction following the 2003 U.S.-led invasion.

In a separate recovery effort, Iraq in May 2023 retrieved 6,000 artifacts that had been "on loan" to the United Kingdom for a century for research purposes.

Iraq's rich cultural heritage, particularly in areas like Nineveh and Babel, faces ongoing threats. The Islamic State's control of parts of the country from 2014 to 2017 resulted in widespread looting and destruction of archaeological sites.