Syria, UAE Sign Agreement To Cooperate in Archiving Syrian Archaeological Artifacts

Syria and the United Arab Emirates have signed a Memorandum of Understanding which will see them sharing expertise and support in archiving Syrian archaeological artifacts, the state-run Syrian Arab News Agency first reported. The signing came between the two countries’ culture ministers during a meeting in the UAE Monday for discussions on developing cooperative relations in areas of culture including antiquities, music and the Arabic language. Many of Syria’s 700 archaeological sites have been damaged or pillaged during the ongoing civil war, with each side accused of looting artifacts during the conflict, from major archaeological sites and Syria’s museums. Islamic State also is said to have intentionally targeted and seriously damaged some sites, including the ancient city of Palmyra, an important ancient cultural center, The New Arab reported. ISIS also has been accused of looting and selling some artifacts to finance the jihadist organization’s activities. Meanwhile, Syrian government officials also have been accused of buying and selling artifacts illegally.