Rare copy of Torah disappears in Iraq

KERKHESLOKH (KIRKUK), Beth Nahrin – In a controversial incident, Iraq’s Antiquities Department announced the loss of an ancient book believed to be a copy of the Torah dating back nearly a thousand years. The department has launched a search for the missing manuscript, which mysteriously vanished during its transfer between several authorities for studies to determine its age and historical significance.

The book was first discovered a year ago when Iraqi intelligence apprehended three individuals attempting to smuggle it. While the smuggling ring was referred to court, the book—preserved in its antique box—was handed over to the relevant authorities in the Ministry of Culture, Tourism, and Antiquities for examination and verification before it disappeared during the process.

The antiquities smuggling ring was investigated last July, but the inquiries stalled after one of the seized items went missing, prompting the Antiquities Department to begin tracing the book’s fate.

Over the past years, Iraqi security forces have thwarted numerous attempts to smuggle rare and ancient copies of the Torah out of the country. In one case, several smuggling attempts were foiled due to the intervention of Iraqi intelligence.

The case has sparked widespread reactions on Iraqi social media, with concerns growing over the book’s fate and the possibility of it leaving Iraqi borders due to its historical significance.