Valuable Sculptures Taken from the National Museum in Damascus
Historic statues and cultural objects have been stolen from the National Museum of Syria in Damascus, authorities report.
The robbery was found on the start of the week, when museum workers reportedly found that one of the museum's doors had been forced from the inside.
The six missing statues were marble creations and traced back to the ancient Roman times, a source informed the news agency.
Cultural heritage officials said it had launched a probe to determine the "details surrounding the loss of a group of artifacts", and that measures had been implemented to strengthen protection and surveillance.
The head of domestic security in the capital area, General Osama Atkeh, was cited by the government press as declaring that law enforcement were investigating the robbery, which he said had focused on several "historical artifacts and rare collectibles".
He continued that guards at the facility and additional people were being questioned.
The Damascus Museum, which was established in the early twentieth century, houses the primary historical artifacts in the country.
It features clay cuneiform tablets dating back to the 14th Century BC from historical site, where proof of the oldest known linguistic system was uncovered; 1st and 2nd Century AD Greco-Roman sculptures from historical site, one of the most important historical locations of the classical era; and a ancient Jewish temple that was established at an ancient location.
The institution was had to cease operations in 2012, a year after the beginning of the destructive conflict. A large portion of the holdings was evacuated and stored at secure places to ensure their safety.
It began limited operations in 2018 and resumed full operations in January 2025, a month after insurgents overthrew Syria's former leader.
All six of Syria's Unesco World Heritage sites were affected or significantly impacted during the civil war.
The militant faction blew up numerous ancient buildings and other structures at the archaeological site, asserting that they were against their beliefs. International authorities censured the demolition as a atrocity.
Numerous artefacts were also lost or taken from archaeological sites and cultural institutions.
