An UNESCO expert mission in Egypt between 11 and 16 September has confirmed that the Mallawi Museum in Minya was almost completely looted during unrest in August following the overthrow of Islamist President Mohamed Morsy.
The Paris-based organization said in a press statement on Wednesday that the building was intact but 600 items out of a total 1,080 disappeared from the museum.
The mission also visited the Anglican Church in Minya, the Prince Tadros Monastery in Fayoum, and the Franciscan School in Beni Suef, which were all damaged during recent unrest, but could not visit other churches due to the security situation.
UNESCO Director General Irina Bokova had said on 18 August that the organization will provide all necessary technical support to Egypt, and will mobilize partner organizations to recover stolen items and repair damages to Egypt's cultural heritage.
At the request of the ministries of antiquities and culture in Egypt, the mission also visited the Kasdagly palace in Cairo from the Belle Epoque era, which suffer minor damage in February 2013.
Edited translation from MENA
