Russia's ambassador to the United Nations, Vitaly Churkin, said in a letter to the U.N. Security Council in New York on Wednesday that ISIL, the radical Islamist militant group in Syria and Iraq have profited from smuggling stolen antiquities through Turkish territory, specifically naming several dealers and transport companies involved. Turkey is reportedly investigating the truth behind these claims.
"Even though the claims in the Russian media and recently brought to the U.N. by the Russian authorities have been made for political purposes and as propaganda, they are being seriously investigated," the Turkish foreign ministry official said. "Turkey has taken all measures to prevent historical artifacts from Syria being removed and marketed," the official said, adding that it had sent findings on the matter to UNESCO, the U.N. cultural agency, in the past.Humeyra Pamuk, Nick Tattersall, 'Turkey investigating Russian claims on smuggled Syrian antiquities' Reuters Thu Apr 7, 2016
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