Ancient Sculptures Taken from the National Museum Located in Damascus
Ancient statues and additional items have been removed from Syria's National Museum in the capital, officials say.
The burglary was found on the start of the week, when staff apparently found that one of the museum's doors had been damaged from the interior.
The half-dozen missing pieces were crafted from marble and originated to the ancient Roman times, a source told the Associated Press.
Cultural heritage officials said it had initiated an inquiry to establish the "events surrounding the theft of a group of exhibits", and that measures had been implemented to strengthen security and monitoring systems.
The head of domestic security in the capital area, Brig-Gen Osama Atkeh, was cited by the official media as declaring that security forces were examining the robbery, which he said had targeted several "historical artifacts and valuable objects".
He noted that guards at the facility and other persons were being interrogated.
The National Museum, which was established in 1919, holds the primary archaeological collection in the country.
It includes historical records tracing back to the Bronze Age from historical site, where proof of the most ancient linguistic system was uncovered; 1st and 2nd Century AD Greco-Roman sculptures from the ancient city, among the foremost historical locations of the ancient world; and a third century religious building that was constructed at Dura Europos.
The institution was forced to close in the early 2010s, one year after the start of the internal strife. The majority of the collection was transferred and preserved at secret locations to ensure their safety.
It reopened partially in 2018 and completely reopened in January 2025, a month after rebel forces deposed President Bashar al-Assad.
All six of nationally recognized sites were damaged or partially destroyed during the civil war.
The IS organization destroyed multiple temples and historical sites at Palmyra, claiming that they were un-Islamic. The cultural organization censured the destruction as a atrocity.
Numerous cultural items were also destroyed or taken from dig sites and collections.
