Syrian Arab News Agency S A N A
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Sofia, SANA- Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Irina Bokova warned that the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) is carrying out wide-scale looting of antiquities in Syria, announcing that combating antiquity trafficking is UNESCO’s top priority.
“Satellite imagery shows that archaeological sites in Syria are dotted by thousands of illegal excavations… that show there is looting on an industrial scale,” Bokova said during a press conference in Sofia.
She added that smuggling antiquities aims to finance extremists, stressing the necessity that EU countries adopt tougher legislations against antiquities smuggling operations.
Terrorist organizations in Syria and Iraq are looting cultural heritage and antiquities through Turkish dealers. Looting represents the second-largest cash source for terrorists after stealing oil.
Manar al-Frieh/Manal
