The Iraqi army has reportedly arrested three men in connection with efforts to traffic stolen antiquities, including the bust of a Sumerian king, out of the war-ravaged country, Press TV reported.
The three were arrested after attempting to sell one of the artifacts for USD 160,000 to an undercover intelligence officer of the Iraqi army in a village southwest of Kirkuk.
"The duty of Iraq's army is not only to chase the terrorists but also to protect state treasures," Major General Abdul Amir al-Zaidi told reporters on Saturday.
The men are said to have possessed eight pieces from the Sumerian period, which dates from around 4000 B.C. to 2000 B.C.
The US-led invasion in March 2003 resulted in a mass plunder of historical monuments and Baghdad's museums.