Ancient Sculptures Taken from Syria's National Museum Located in Damascus
Historic statues and cultural objects have been taken from the National Museum of Syria in Damascus, authorities report.
The theft was noticed on Monday, when employees allegedly found that a doorway had been broken from the inside.
The half-dozen stolen statues were crafted from marble and dated back to the Roman era, an authority told the Associated Press.
Cultural heritage officials said it had initiated an inquiry to determine the "events surrounding the theft of a collection of artifacts", and that measures had been enacted to strengthen protection and monitoring systems.
The director of national security in the capital area, General Osama Atkeh, was quoted by the state-run Sana news agency as stating that law enforcement were examining the theft, which he said had focused on several "archaeological statues and valuable objects".
He continued that security personnel at the institution and additional people were being questioned.
The National Museum, which was established in the early twentieth century, holds the significant historical artifacts in the country.
It contains historical records originating to the Bronze Age from an ancient city, where proof of the most ancient linguistic system was uncovered; 1st and 2nd Century AD Greco-Roman sculptures from Palmyra, a significant cultural centres of the classical era; and a third century synagogue that was established at another archaeological site.
The institution was forced to close in the early 2010s, a year after the beginning of the devastating civil war. Most of the artifacts was evacuated and kept at secure places to protect them.
It partially resumed in recent years and returned to normal in January 2025, one month after opposition groups removed President Bashar al-Assad.
Every one of nationally recognized sites were harmed or significantly impacted during the civil war.
The Islamic State group blew up several temples and other structures at the archaeological site, asserting that they were against their beliefs. International authorities denounced the destruction as a war crime.
Numerous cultural items were also lost or looted from historical locations and cultural institutions.
