BAGHDAD, June 7: Almost all of the priceless items feared stolen from the Baghdad Museum when it was ransacked by looters have been found safe in a secret vault, the US-led administration for Iraq said on Saturday.

A special team of US investigators working at the museum to check the extent of the looting has concluded that around 3,000 items were still lost or stolen, compared with initial estimates of up to 170,000. Most of the missing items were used for research, rather than exhibition.

“Earlier this week, 179 boxes that contained the vast majority of the museum’s exhibition collection were discovered safe in a secret vault,” the administration said in a statement.

“The discovery of these boxes containing nearly 8,000 of the most important items from the museum’s collection means that the work of the investigation team is drawing to a close.”

The failure of US forces to prevent Baghdad Museum being plundered sparked a storm of protest around the world in April. The US military said its men were initially too busy fighting in the streets around the museum to halt the looting.

But many of the items feared lost have been discovered. Some were taken home by staff for safekeeping, and others were found hidden elsewhere, including the large haul in a secret vault. Staff initially refused to reveal the location of the vault until US troops had left Iraq, but later relented.

TREASURE OF NIMRUD: Another trove of priceless jewellery, the Treasure of Nimrud, was found in a flooded Central Bank vault on Thursday.