2000 artifacts stolen in Egypt since start of 2011 unrest

Egypt's antiquity sector has been suffering from looting, suspension of excavation, shortages of funding since the start of the 2011 unrest, the minister of antiquities said. At least 2,000 artifacts have been stolen since the eruption of 2011 unrest in Egypt due to the political turmoil and consequent violence," Mohamed Ibrahim added, according to the Chinese news agency Xinhua. The Egyptian national museum in downtown Cairo took the hardest hit as many priceless pieces were stolen on Jan. 28, 2011, said Ibrahim. "Only 26 pieces were retrieved in the national museum and they will be displayed again after restoration by the end of September." The international police and cultural organizations like UNESCO have been notified to put the stolen pieces on the Red List, whose items are protected from auctions and galleries, he added.