The rich cultural heritage of Yemen has suffered from looting and destruction for many years, but especially during the recent crisis, despite the best efforts of Yemen's GOAM in all parts of Yemen and international heritage preservation organizations. There are a number of reports, including one on overall looting in the Middle East produced by the Clooney Foundation in 2022. Here is a brief note from that report:
The Al-Hudhud Center for Archaeological Studies issued a report in 2022 on the theft of Yemeni antiquities for sale in international auctions. They said that at least 4,265 artifacts have been looted from Yemen and sold in the United States, Britain, France, Germany and Israel.
There are a number of studies and articles on recent looting, including the following:
Regardless of who loots the material and who distributes them to international dealers and auctions, it is important for everyone, no matter their political orientation, to preserve Yemen's rich cultural heritage for generations of Yemeni citizens to come.
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