SHAFAQNA- The United States returned to Iraq some 17,000 ancient looted artifacts dating back 4,000 years.
“This is the largest return of antiquities to Iraq,” said the Culture Minister , hailing the decision as “the result of months of efforts by the Iraqi authorities in conjunction with their Embassy in Washington”. Most of the ancient pieces document “the commercial exchanges during the Sumerian period”, his ministry said in a statement.
On Thursday, Al-Kadhimi and his delegation returned to Baghdad after several days of visit to the United States and brought back the 17,000 artifacts. Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi ordered on Friday the reopening of the Iraq Museum in Baghdad. “With the return of 17,000 Iraqi artifacts … I ordered the reopening of the Iraq Museum to the public and researchers,” Al-Kadhimi said on his official Twitter page, according to XINHUANET.