Sana'a: The Chairman of the General Authority for the Preservation of Historic Cities, Abdul Wahab Al-Mahdi, conducted an assessment of the damage sustained by the National Museum building and its archaeological collections due to the Zionist aggression targeting the Al-Tahrir neighborhood in Sana'a.
According to Yemen News Agency, Al-Mahdi was accompanied by Mahdi Al-Matari, the Public Prosecutor for Antiquities and Historic Cities, along with the Authority's technical, financial, and administrative representatives. Ibrahim Al-Hadi, the Deputy Director of the General Authority for Antiquities and the Acting Secretary-General of the Museum, provided an explanation of the extent of the destruction caused by the attack on the museum and nearby civilian facilities.
The delegation surveyed the damage to several artifacts within the museum, which is home to thousands of rare items from the pre-Christian era. The antiquities team is actively engaged in the assessment and inventory of the damage.
The Authority's President stressed the importance of cooperation between relevant authorities to document all damages, highlighting the attack's severity and its impact on the National Museum, a key piece of Yemeni national identity. He urged for coordinated efforts to file a memorandum with UNESCO condemning the attack and seeking immediate intervention to protect the museum and its damaged artifacts, as well as the surrounding structures, given its location in the Old City of Sana'a, a World Heritage Site.
Additionally, the Prosecutor for Antiquities and Historic Cities underscored the need to request UNESCO to classify the attack as a violation against human heritage. He advocated for a joint letter to be sent to the United Nations and UNESCO, calling for accountability for the crimes against humanity and cultural identity, which have put thousands of artifacts and historic homes at risk.