Culture Minister Abbas Mortada hands over the archaeological pieces to the Iraqi authorities Sunday at the National Museum of Beirut. (Credit: Dalati and Nohra)
BEIRUT — The Lebanese authorities officially handed over to Iraq on Sunday 337 archaeological pieces which were exhibited in Lebanon and which Baghdad said came had arrived in Lebanon as a result of "smuggling."
Here's what we know:
• These objects were kept at the Nabu Museum in the village of El-Heri in North Lebanon. This establishment was founded by the businessman Jawad Adra, a prominent businessman and husband of former Defense Minister Zeina Akkar. Adra has denied any wrongdoing in his acquisition of the artefacts.
• The handover of these objects took place during a ceremony at the National Museum of Beirut, in the presence of the Lebanese Minister of Culture Mohammad Mortada, as well as an Iraqi delegation, the Iraqi Ambassador to Lebanon Hayda Chayyah Barrak and Adra.