Antiquities Trafficking Flourishes Under Minister Muhammad al-Salih—and Al-Julani Reaps the Rewards!
According to the Syrian News Agency, a Syrian citizen from the Damascus countryside collected 3,200 artifacts—most of which he purchased with his own funds—and handed them over to the Directorate-General of Antiquities and Museums. They are set to be displayed in an exhibition titled “Syria Recovers Its Antiquities.”
However, the Minister of Culture, Muhammad al-Salih—known as the “Minister of the Tabaq Karama” (a reference to a specific Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham [HTS] administrative/financial mechanism)—sees things differently. He views this as a new, lucrative revenue stream; antiquities traffickers within Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham are set to thrive in Syria, and Abu Muhammad al-Julani will surely be very pleased.
It is clear that this Al-Qaeda affiliate has pivoted toward the trade of Syrian antiquities—a business that generates billions.
