ANKARA
U.S. officials have returned a Roman-age horse bridle and 10 engraved slabs to Turkish officials which were illegally exported, Turkey's Culture Ministry has said.
The ministry issued a statement Tuesday, saying it had managed to acquire the historic pieces after conducting long legal, diplomatic and academic efforts.
Omer expressed his determination to fight the illegal trafficking of historical pieces in the statement, adding the pieces were delivered to the Turkish Consulate General in Los Angeles.
The pieces were illegally exported 40 years ago and are currently under protection in a museum located in the Turkish capital of Ankara, said the statement.
A total of 4,158 historical pieces smuggled out of Turkey have been brought back to the country in the last 10 years.
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