Syria accuses Turkey over illicit antiquities trade

In the latest flashpoint in the already fraught relationship between Syria and Turkey, Mr. Maamoun Abdulkarim, Syria's head of antiquities, has accused Ankara of refusing to return looted objects from heritage sites in Syria or provide information about them. Speaking to the Reuters News Agency, Mr. Abdulkarim claimed that Turkey has seized 2,000 heritage objects, compared to 300 seized by Jordan and 90 by Lebanon. Meanwhile, Syrian authorities have themselves recovered over 6,000 pieces from smugglers.

Of course, it is not just neighbouring states which have a role to playing to play in stopping the illicit trade in antiquities. Both dealers and governmnents in rich countries should equally do their part, particularly given that it is the demand for these pieces which continues to fuels the trade.