In an attempt to protect Egypt’s antiquities, an archaeological mission led by Mohamed Abdel Maqsoud, head of antiquities of Alexandria and Lower Egypt, transported artefacts from the Qantara East storage facility in Sinai to the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.

The transported collection includes artefacts that belong to the planned Port Said, Sharm El-Sheikh and Taba museums as well as Sinai artefacts that were retrieved from Israel following the singing the Egypt-Israel Peace Treaty.

The transported objects filled 30 trucks and arrived safe at the Egyptian Museum with the protection of police and army forces. The objects are now stored in the basement of the Egyptian Museum, in order to protect them from looting attempts.

Two weeks ago the Qantara East storehouse was subject to looting where thieves stole some 550 pieces. Two days following the theft, the Ministry of Antiquities succeeded in retrieving 292 items.