The Afghanistan embassy in Washington in a statement declared that 33 ancient relics that were smuggled into the United States have been returned to the Afghan embassy. 

A ceremony was held at the New York attorney general's office to mark the objects' return.

The Afghan ambassador to the United States, Roya Rahmani, thanked all the US institutions that acted to find and seize these artifacts.

Rahmani said these artifacts originate from the second to eighth century and reflect Afghanistan’s cultural history.  

These items will be given by the Afghan Embassy in Washington to Afghanistan’s National Museum.