Halting Illicit Trafficking of Syrian Cultural Properties top Priority-UNESCO

  MOSCOW, (ST)-The United Nations Education, Science and Culture Organization (UNESCO) yesterday announced that preventing illicit trafficking of Syrian cultural properties is its top priority.

Irina Bokova, UNESCO Director, said in an interview with “Russia 24” Channel that “illicit trafficking of the Syrian cultural properties is one of the main sources of funding the terrorists in the country.”

“Stopping this source of funding is a necessity and one of the top priorities of the international agenda, Bokovva stressed, pointing to the need that the money (billions of dollars)  the terrorists are getting by selling the Syrian oil and by drug and human trafficking should also be halted.

She asserted that “many documented incidents of unauthorized archeological excavations are being observed by satellite.”

Last February, the Security Council unanimously adopted resolution No.2199 which provides for halting the funding obtained by of ISIL and al-Nousra Front terrorist organizations and other terrorist groups through selling stolen oil and antiquities and through ransoms.

The resolution calls for criminalizing all who buy the stolen oil from the al-Qaeda affiliated terrorist and extremist organizations and for judging them as colluding parties.

Hamda Mustafa