Iraq exhibits ancient artefacts returned by the US and other countries

People visit one of the three newly opened galleries in southern Iraq’s Basra museum, on 19 March 2019. – Over 2,000 artefacts, including about 100 that were looted and found abroad, were unveiled in Basra museum, located in a former palace of Saddam Hussein. [HUSSEIN FALEH/AFP via Getty Images]

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 US invasion, Reuters reports.

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 US 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 archaeological collections” would be returned by Switzerland and Japan this month.

WATCH: Stolen Gilgamesh artefact returned to Iraq after 30 years

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