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Afghanistan, situated at a crucial junction on the ancient Silk Roads, has a unique cultural heritage, which reflects a history marked by the complex influences of Persia, Greece, Hinduism, Buddhism and Islam. It includes among its many treasures the 5th century monumental Buddhist statues of Bamiyan carved in the rock. The age-old heritage has increasingly suffered from the conflicts and disasters that have plagued the country in recent times. The irreplaceable collections of the Kabul Museum, which came under attack in 1995 and 1996, have been subject to theft and vandalism.