Iraq arrests three antiquities traffickers

Iraqi soldiers arrested three smugglers who were trying to sell artifacts from the Sumerian era, the earliest known human civilization that existed in southern Mesopotamia from about 8,000 years ago.

"A specialist army and intelligence unit arrested three people involved in the theft and trafficking of Iraqi antiquities" in the region of Abassi, west of Kirkuk, General Abdel Amir al-Zaidi told journalists.

Undercover agents posed as buyers for the artifacts on Saturday, Zaidi said.

"We received intelligence tips about a group trying to sell precious antiques in a small town called al-Abbasi. We formed an undercover intelligence team to meet the smugglers and pretend to be interested in buying the eight pieces," he added.

The eight artifacts included a clay bust of what is believed to be a Sumerian king, a small jar and stamps from the royal Sumerian court.

A specialist army and intelligence unit arrested three people involved in the theft and trafficking of Iraqi antiquities

General Abdel Amir al-Zaidi

Fighting terrorism

"The group were selling some of the pieces for up to 160,000 dollars," Zaidi said, noting that the funds received from the sales were being used to finance "terrorist actions."

"Chasing terrorists is not the only duty of the Iraqi army. We are now capable of conducting more complicated jobs like busting antiques looters," he added.

Six and a half years after the U.S.-led invasion to remove Saddam Hussein sparked a massive looting spree in Baghdad, Iraq is struggling to recover numerous ancient treasures.

The early weeks of the invasion saw 15,000 items disappear from the National Museum, only 6,000 of which are back where they belong.

Iraq is often referred to as a so-called "cradle of civilization," due in large part to the fact that some of the first evidence of complex urban life can be found on its territory, at around 3,000 BC.

Iraq's ancient sites are poorly guarded. Thieves often snatch pieces from Sumerian, Babylonian or Assyrian times.

The Sumerian period is known for its clay tablets that bear one of the world's earliest systems of writing.

Chasing terrorists is not the only duty of the Iraqi army. We are now capable of conducting more complicated jobs like busting antiques looters

Zaidi