Southern Giants Forces announced Friday the successful interception of an attempt to smuggle 24 rare artifacts through the Bab al-Mandab region of Taiz Governorate in southwestern Yemen. The antiquities were reportedly destined for the Horn of Africa and were hidden with considerable ingenuity.

According to a press release from the Giants Forces' media center,' members of the 17th Brigade at a checkpoint detained two smugglers, identified as (W. A. A.) and (N. H. A.), on Thursday. The pair were attempting to move the concealed artifacts across the Bab al-Mandab coast.

The statement revealed that the smugglers had cleverly concealed the artifacts inside a box that was disguised among numerous similar containers filled with car spare parts in their vehicle.

Concerns have grown in recent years over the increasing appearance of Yemeni antiquities in international auctions, particularly in the United States. Reports, including one from the "Al Arabiya Felix" platform, highlighted the escalating vulnerability of Yemeni artifacts to looting, vandalism, and illegal export, especially during the ongoing conflict.

The war in Yemen, which began in 2015, is believed to have significantly fueled the trafficking of Yemeni antiquities, with estimates suggesting that over 10,000 artifacts have been offered in global auctions and online platforms since the conflict began.