Yemen’s Minister of Culture Marwan Damaj, handed a list of missing artifacts to the United Nations panel of experts, the official news agency reported.
During a meeting in Aden, the minister reviewed the cultural situation in Yemen and the most affected historical monuments in the country.
The minister said that a number of sites and historical buildings were subjected to the “exhumation and destruction” by the Iran-backed Houthi militia.
He claimed that Houthis leaders excavated archaeological sites and the sold artifacts in the areas under their control.
Damaj also said that the militias destroyed museums in Abyan and Taiz.
“Museums were severely damaged, resulting in the loss of many of their holdings, artifacts and manuscripts,” He said.
The report said that the team of UN experts will offer technical support to the Ministry of Culture by helping train technicians as specialists in tracing Yemeni artifacts in the international market.
The Coordinator of the group of experts pointed out that the team will correspond with UNESCO and asking them to circulate to international museums to not to buy or deal with those trading Yemeni historical artifacts.
