Valuable Statues Removed from Syria's National Museum Located in Damascus
Ancient statues and additional items have been taken from Syria's National Museum in Damascus, authorities report.
The robbery was discovered on the start of the week, when staff allegedly found that one of the museum's doors had been forced from the interior.
The half-dozen taken pieces were made of marble and traced back to the Roman era, an authority informed the news agency.
Cultural heritage officials said it had initiated an inquiry to establish the "circumstances surrounding the disappearance of a group of exhibits", and that measures had been enacted to enhance protection and observation methods.
The director of national security in Damascus province, Brig-Gen Osama Atkeh, was referenced by the official media as stating that law enforcement were investigating the robbery, which he said had affected several "historical artifacts and unique items".
He noted that security personnel at the museum and other individuals were being interrogated.
The cultural institution, which was established in the early twentieth century, holds the primary cultural treasures in the country.
It contains ancient inscribed tablets dating back to the 14th Century BC from historical site, where evidence of the earliest writing system was discovered; Greco-Roman period Greco-Roman sculptures from historical site, a significant cultural centres of the historical period; and a 3rd Century AD Jewish temple that was constructed at an ancient location.
The museum was had to cease operations in the early 2010s, twelve months after the beginning of the devastating civil war. Most of the artifacts was evacuated and preserved at secret locations to ensure their safety.
It reopened partially in recent years and resumed full operations in January 2025, four weeks after opposition groups removed the Assad regime.
Every one of nationally recognized sites were harmed or partially destroyed during the civil war.
The IS organization demolished numerous religious structures and additional edifices at the archaeological site, asserting that they were against their beliefs. International authorities censured the destruction as a war crime.
Many cultural items were also lost or taken from historical locations and collections.
