Iraqi police retrieve historical artifacts in Mosul, arrest suspect

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Iraq’s Ministry of Interior on Sunday announced the arrest of a person in Mosul who illegally possessed old Christian manuscripts and other artifacts of historical significance.

After thorough investigations, police captured the defendant and seized from him 12 historical artifacts, 12 books of old Christian heritage, and 11 ancient wall paintings, the ministry said in a statement.

The ministry did not provide details about the retrieved items.

The statement added that the suspect was found with 10 hand grenades, a hand-held radio transmitter, as well as various old banknotes and forged documents.

“The suspect was arrested and the artifacts, which were buried inside the garden of his house, were seized in the Ta’meem neighborhood,” local police said in a statement.

In mid-August, three suspects confessed to stealing religious manuscripts belonging to the Museum of the Mar Thoma Church in Mosul.

Local forces have been able to recover some historical artifacts in the city of Mosul – most of which the Islamic State (IS) stole following its capture of the ancient city.

The extremist group destroyed many historical monuments, archaeological sites, and ancient artifacts, selling and transporting stolen items abroad through the territory it controlled in Syria.

IS also demolished many religious shrines and sites in Nineveh belonging to Ezidi and Christian minorities, which the group deemed to be heretics.

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany