Historic Sculptures Removed from the National Museum Located in Damascus
Ancient sculptures and additional items have been stolen from the National Museum of Syria in Damascus, officials say.
The burglary was found on the start of the week, when employees reportedly found that an entrance had been broken from the interior.
The six taken pieces were made of marble and dated back to the Roman era, a source stated to the media outlet.
The nation's antiquities authority said it had opened an investigation to establish the "circumstances surrounding the disappearance of a number of exhibits", and that actions had been implemented to enhance safeguarding and monitoring systems.
The head of internal security in the capital area, Security Chief Atkeh, was quoted by the official media as declaring that authorities were probing the robbery, which he said had affected several "archaeological statues and rare collectibles".
He noted that security personnel at the museum and other persons were being questioned.
The cultural institution, which was founded in 1919, contains the significant cultural treasures in Syria.
It features clay cuneiform tablets tracing back to the 14th Century BC from Ugarit, where proof of the most ancient linguistic system was found; 1st and 2nd Century AD classical statues from historical site, among the foremost cultural centres of the classical era; and a ancient religious building that was constructed at an ancient location.
The museum was had to cease operations in 2012, one year after the start of the internal strife. Most of the holdings was transferred and stored at undisclosed sites to protect them.
It partially resumed in 2018 and returned to normal in the beginning of the year, one month after opposition groups deposed Syria's former leader.
Every one of Syria's Unesco World Heritage sites were affected or partly ruined during the conflict.
The militant faction blew up several religious structures and historical sites at the archaeological site, stating that they were against their beliefs. The cultural organization censured the demolition as a violation.
Many cultural items were also lost or stolen from dig sites and museums.
