Cairo, April 17 (QNA) - Egypt announced Friday that it has received, through its Consulate General in New York, 13 rare artifacts from different historical periods, which had been previously smuggled out of the country.

In a statement, the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs praised the fruitful and ongoing cooperation in this matter between the Egyptian and US authorities, particularly the New York Attorney General's Office, reflecting a shared commitment to protecting human cultural heritage and combating the illicit trafficking of cultural property.

The Ministry also expressed its sincere appreciation to the relevant the US authorities for their professional and legal efforts, which culminated in the decision to return the artifacts to their country of origin. This reflects the spirit of shared responsibility among nations in confronting the illicit trafficking of cultural property. (QNA)