Ancient Sculptures Stolen from Syria's National Museum Located in Damascus
Valuable sculptures and cultural objects have been taken from the National Museum of Syria in Damascus, sources confirm.
The theft was noticed on the start of the week, when museum workers reportedly found that one of the museum's doors had been broken from the interior.
The multiple taken sculptures were made of marble and originated to the ancient Roman times, a source stated to the Associated Press.
Syria's Directorate-General for Antiquities and Museums said it had launched a probe to determine the "circumstances surrounding the theft of a collection of exhibits", and that actions had been implemented to enhance protection and monitoring systems.
The director of national security in the Damascus region, General Osama Atkeh, was cited by the government press as stating that security forces were probing the theft, which he said had targeted several "archaeological statues and rare collectibles".
He noted that guards at the facility and additional people were being questioned.
The National Museum, which was founded in the early twentieth century, houses the most important historical artifacts in Syria.
It contains historical records tracing back to the Bronze Age from historical site, where evidence of the earliest writing system was discovered; early centuries CE ancient art from Palmyra, among the foremost cultural centres of the classical era; and a third century Jewish temple that was built at another archaeological site.
The facility was forced to close in the early 2010s, twelve months after the start of the destructive conflict. A large portion of the collection was transferred and kept at secret locations to safeguard them.
It partially resumed in 2018 and returned to normal in early this year, a month after insurgents deposed the Assad regime.
Every one of Syria's Unesco World Heritage sites were damaged or partially destroyed during the conflict.
The Islamic State group destroyed numerous religious structures and additional edifices at the archaeological site, stating that they were idolatrous. International authorities condemned the damage as a violation.
Many artefacts were also destroyed or looted from dig sites and museums.
