Kuwait returns smuggled ancient artefacts to Egypt

Kuwait on Thursday returned to Cairo five ancient Egyptian artefacts that were smuggled from Egypt prior to the coronavirus pandemic.

In 2019, the five priceless items were illegally taken out of Egypt, only to be confiscated by the customs department at Kuwait Airport, said Sultan Al-Duwaish, the head of the Artifacts and Museums Department at Kuwait's National Council for Culture Arts and Literature (NCCAL).

The items included statues of Pharaohs Amenhotep III and Amun-Ra and the ancient Egyptian god Horus, as well as a stone mural.

Kuwait returns five pharaonic artifacts to Egypt following failed smuggling attempt

- The state of Kuwait handed, Thursday, five pharaonic artifacts to the Republic of Egypt, confiscated by the customs… https://t.co/1VeSJZrQPJ #kuwaitnews #indiakuwait #indiansinkuwait pic.twitter.com/wa1rGGLJV1

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On Thursday, they were handed over to the Egyptian ambassador to Kuwait at the Kuwait National Museum.

The return of the items was jointly organised by Kuwait's foreign ministry, the customs department and NCCAL in accordance with international treaties.

Egypt's ambassador to Kuwait, Osama Shaltout, thanked Kuwaiti authorities for returning the items.

"These artefacts will be returned to Egypt and will be subject to further examinations to determine their importance," he said.