Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: The Lebanese Army is continuing its investigations and will later announce any information that does not affect the confidentiality of the investigation
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: It has not yet been determined whether the detainees belong to ISIS or another organization
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Around 10 people of different nationalities, including Lebanese nationals, were detained
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: The Lebanese army arrested a number of people in the Matn area of Mount Lebanon with possession it has not disclosed
Gaza Civil Defense spokesman: We have strong indications that there are martyrs, injuries, and trapped people in the Salah al-Din area
Gaza Civil Defense spokesman: Citizens should avoid Salah al-Din Street because anyone who approaches it is at risk of being directly targeted
Gaza Civil Defense spokesman: Reality is that there is a very limited retreat of the vehicles, with the occupation forces providing cover undeer fire up to Salah al-Din Street
Gaza Civil Defense spokesman: Claims that the Israeli occupation has withdrawn from areas in the neighborhoods of al-Zaytoun, al-Tuffah, and al-Shujaiya are false
Hamas: The two delegations stressed that any negotiations must lead to the achievement of our people's goals and aspirations, foremost among which is ending the war and the complete withdrawal of enemy forces
Hamas: A delegation from the Hamas leadership, led by the head of the leadership council, Mohammad Darwish, met with an Islamic Jihad delegation, headed by its Secretary-General, Ziyad al-Nakhalah

Al Mayadeen Net follows up on the Turkish mafias' theft of Syrian antiquities

  • By Al Mayadeen Net
  • Source: Al Mayadeen Net
  • 18 Apr 2022 17:57
  • 4 Shares
4 Min Read

Al Mayadeen Net sources in Idlib have indicated that all famous archaeological sites in the governorate were subjected to vandalism, excavations, and theft by armed groups.

  • x
  • Syria has documents proving that the Turkish army and its agents have sabotaged archaeological sites
    Syria has documents proving that the Turkish army and its agents have sabotaged archaeological sites

Idlib Governorate contains about a third of the Syrian antiquities and is home to more than 1,000 archaeological sites; more than 700 of them and about 40 archaeological villages are registered on the World Heritage List.

These sites have been greatly damaged by several attacks, and they were subjected to excavations and looting, turning into a source of funding for the armed groups controlling the area, especially Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham.

Al Mayadeen Net is reporting about the activities of the Turkish mafias in Idlib Governorate, such as drug dealing, human and organs trafficking, as well as antiquities theft.

Archaeological sites in Syria looted on an astonishing scale

The Turkish mafias have turned archaeological areas in Syria into a source of excavation, theft, and sale of antiquities in the global market.

At a 2015 conference held in Bulgaria to discuss ways to confront the looting of Syrian antiquities, the director of the United Nations Educational and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Irina Bokova, pointed out that archaeological sites in Syria are being looted on an astonishing scale.

Al Mayadeen Net sources in Idlib indicated that all the famous archaeological sites in the governorate, especially in Jabal Al-Zawiya, were subjected to vandalism, excavations, and theft by armed groups.

Related News

Fierce clashes breakout in Syria's Sweida, leading to displacement

Lebanese Army arrests 10 individuals suspected of terrorism

In addition to excavations near the ancient town of Sarmada and the theft of some columns using cranes, the militants turned some ancient tombs in the town into weapons and ammunition storage.

Excavation work with the help of experts brought in through Turkey

The militants also deployed guard points and raised earthen mounds in the surroundings of the archaeological sites. All archaeological monuments disappeared as a result of the excavations and sabotage activities.

The sources indicated that the mafias started excavation work with the help of international experts brought in through Turkey, as several trucks transported large paintings that were discovered near Sarmada.

It indicated that the mafias offer a lot of money in exchange for individual excavations carried out by some of the residents of those areas, including militants affiliated with Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham.

This was documented by activists who were within the areas of influence of armed groups. A radical shift was noted in the economic situation of hundreds of antiquities excavators after selling archeological findings to mediators working for mafias for a minimum of $2,000 and sometimes more depending on the age of the artifact.

Price of stolen ancient statues ranges between $10,000 & $100,000

The activists quoted an antiquities dealer in Idlib as saying that the price of the ancient statues stolen by mafias ranges between $10,000 and $100,000, while the price of one Romanian currency is about $1,000.

The smuggled antiquities are smuggled to Turkey through the crossings of Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham, in exchange for obtaining 5% of the value of each antiquity.

Turkish army & its agents sabotaged archaeological sites

More than a year ago, the Director-General of Antiquities and Museums in Syria, Mahmoud Hammoud, told Sputnik that Syria has documents proving that the Turkish army and its agents have sabotaged archaeological sites, excavated and destroyed them, and looted their contents.

Hammoud noted that the Turkish authorities confiscated more than 30,000 pieces and refused to return them to the Syrian government, despite Syrian complaints to the relevant international institutions and organizations in this regard.

  • Syria
  • Turkey
  • Bulgaria
  • Idlib
  • Hayat Tahrir al-Sham
  • UNESCO

Most Read

Hezbollah SG reveals war details on Al Mayadeen for the first time

Hezbollah SG reveals war details on Al Mayadeen for the first time

  • Politics
  • 8 Jul 2025
Major ambush in Gaza kills 6 Israeli troops, injures dozens

Major ambush in Gaza kills 5 Israeli troops, injures 14

  • Politics
  • 8 Jul 2025
Israeli soldiers are seen in Beit Hanoun ahead of an operation by the al-Qassam Brigades, undated (Al-Qassam Brigades Military Media)

'Israel' on blast as media exposes report discrepancies in Gaza ambush

  • Palestine
  • 8 Jul 2025
Yemen Navy sinks ETERNITY C ship, shares footage of operation

Yemen Navy sinks ETERNITY C ship, shares footage of operation

  • Politics
  • 9 Jul 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
The Freedom Flotilla ship Handala as it departs for Gaza, where it aims to break the maritime blockade at a port in Syracuse, Sicily in southern Italy on July 13, 2025. (AFP)
Palestine

Freedom Flotilla's Handala departs Sicily in bid to break Gaza siege

The container ship CMA CGM Laperouse, left, docks at the Georgia Ports Authority's Port of Savannah, Sept. 29, 2021, in Savannah, Ga (AP)
Politics

US shipbuilding woes deepen as tariffs, outdated policies backfire

Gaza war raises ethical questions for ex-Obama, Biden officials
Politics

Mercenary firm tied to Gaza war crimes hires Obama-Biden PR operatives

'Israel' targets children in Gaza collecting water
Palestine

'Israel' strikes Gaza kids fetching water, blames it on 'malfunction'

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS