US returns 36 stolen antiquities worth over US$5m to Syria

NEW YORK, Sept 24 — US officials have announced the return of 36 stolen antiquities to Syria, including a stone looted during the Islamic State group's destruction of the ancient site of Palmyra. Authorities seized the items, valued at over US$5 million (RM20.45 million), from the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and several collectors.

Speaking at a repatriation ceremony, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg emphasized that cultural heritage preservation knows no borders. The Palmyran stone, weighing over 450 kilograms, was removed from the UNESCO World Heritage site before its destruction by ISIS between 2015 and 2017. Weighing in on the repatriation, Mohammad Kanatri, Syria's charge d'affaires in Washington, highlighted the shared commitment to protecting cultural heritage as a means of forging lasting ties between Syria and the US.

Four of the antiquities were seized from American collector Michael Steinhardt, who returned roughly 180 stolen items in 2021 as part of a US government deal. The four pieces, valued at US$70 million, were among 402 antiquities worth US$98.7 million the Manhattan District Attorney's office has recovered from the Met since 2017.