Iraq retrieves 122000 artifacts

Iraq has retrieved 122,000 artifacts which had been stolen since 2003, out of which 4,000 were seized from the National Museum of Iraq. Iraq's Tourism and Antiquities Ministry has managed since 2003 and until mid-May of this year last to recover 46,717 different pieces, in addition to 75,238 from inside and outside of the country, Iraqi newspaper (al-Sabah) reported Monday. The Ministry is tracking around 11,000 artifacts stolen from the National Museum, an official said noting that the available information indicates that most of the stolen goods had been smuggled out of the country prompting the issuance of notices globally and to the Interpol. The Tourism Ministry has succeeded in restoring more than 1000 artifacts from the US in 2010 in addition to 45 relics during the past two months. Also, 226 pieces representing belongings from older presidential palaces. Currently, they are located at the premises of the Iraqi embassy in Washington.