Iraq strives to retrieve plundered antiquities

BAGHDAD — As the world marked International Museum Day on Saturday, Iraq remained haunted by the poignant scars of looted antiquities in the wake of the US-led invasion.

Boasting an ancient civilization of thousands of years, Iraq has abundant archaeological treasures. However, the US invasion of Iraq and the ensuing chaos and instability created an opportunity for robbers and lawbreakers to plunder and smuggle Iraqi antiquities from museums and unprotected archaeological sites.

In the first days of the US-led coalition forces' occupation of Baghdad in 2003, thousands of priceless artifacts were systematically looted from the Iraq Museum.

Adel al-Mubarak, an archaeologist and history teacher at Baghdad-based al-Iraqia University, told Xinhua the US forces were stationed in the Alawi district in downtown Baghdad, where the museum is located.

"They did not protect the museum from organized gangs and thieves," al-Mubarak recalled.

According to al-Mubarak, there are about 15,000 lost objects, many of which have yet to be returned.

The irresponsible withdrawal of US forces from Iraq at the end of 2011 led to a sudden security vacuum, allowing the Islamic State extremist group to develop and grow, he said, adding it took control of large swathes of land in northern and western Iraq in 2014.

Following this expansion, media video showed IS fighters destroying the Mosul Cultural Museum and the ancient cities of Hatra and Nimrud in Iraq's northern province of Nineveh, where they smuggled numerous historical relics.

Concerted efforts

Through concerted efforts of domestic institutions and coordination with other countries, Iraq managed to regain some of the looted and smuggled antiquities.

"Through effective international cooperation with friendly and brotherly nations and the mobilization of our diplomatic missions in various parts of the world, Iraq has been able to reclaim thousands of archaeological pieces, manuscripts, books and illustrious paintings," the foreign ministry said.

Despite the achievements made in the past years, al-Mubarak said there are still major challenges facing the Iraqi authorities, including continued thefts and random excavations, especially in archaeological sites far from urban areas or in places unregulated by the government.

"The protection of the archaeological sites also requires financial, personnel, and logistical support from the government," the archaeologist noted.

Xinhua