Ancient Sculptures Taken from Syria's National Museum in Damascus
Ancient artifacts and cultural objects have been taken from Syria's National Museum in Damascus, officials say.
The robbery was noticed on the start of the week, when employees reportedly found that a doorway had been broken from the interior.
The half-dozen missing statues were crafted from marble and dated back to the Roman era, a source told the Associated Press.
The nation's antiquities authority said it had initiated an inquiry to identify the "details surrounding the theft of a group of artifacts", and that actions had been taken to strengthen safeguarding and surveillance.
The head of internal security in the Damascus region, Brig-Gen Osama Atkeh, was cited by the government press as stating that security forces were investigating the robbery, which he said had focused on several "ancient sculptures and rare collectibles".
He added that guards at the facility and other persons were being questioned.
The Damascus Museum, which was founded in the early twentieth century, holds the primary historical artifacts in the country.
It includes historical records tracing back to the 14th Century BC from Ugarit, where indications of the oldest known writing system was discovered; Greco-Roman period classical statues from Palmyra, one of the most important ancient sites of the ancient world; and a ancient religious building that was built at an ancient location.
The facility was had to cease operations in the early 2010s, a year after the outbreak of the internal strife. Most of the holdings was removed and preserved at undisclosed sites to ensure their safety.
It reopened partially in 2018 and completely reopened in January 2025, one month after insurgents removed the Assad regime.
Each of the six of nationally recognized sites were affected or partially destroyed during the conflict.
The Islamic State group blew up several ancient buildings and historical sites at Palmyra, claiming that they were against their beliefs. International authorities denounced the destruction as a war crime.
Countless historical objects were also destroyed or taken from dig sites and museums.
