Historic Statues Taken from the National Museum Located in Damascus
Valuable statues and cultural objects have been stolen from Syria's National Museum in Damascus, authorities report.
The burglary was found on Monday, when staff apparently found that an entrance had been damaged from the inside.
The half-dozen taken sculptures were marble creations and dated back to the ancient Roman times, an authority informed the Associated Press.
Syria's Directorate-General for Antiquities and Museums said it had launched a probe to establish the "events surrounding the loss of a collection of artifacts", and that steps had been taken to enhance safeguarding and monitoring systems.
The chief of domestic security in Damascus province, Brig-Gen Osama Atkeh, was quoted by the government press as saying that law enforcement were probing the incident, which he said had targeted several "historical artifacts and rare collectibles".
He continued that guards at the facility and other persons were being questioned.
The cultural institution, which was established in 1919, holds the significant historical artifacts in the country.
It features historical records originating to the Bronze Age from Ugarit, where proof of the earliest linguistic system was found; Greco-Roman period classical statues from the ancient city, one of the most important cultural centres of the ancient world; and a 3rd Century AD Jewish temple that was constructed at Dura Europos.
The museum was had to cease operations in 2012, one year after the outbreak of the internal strife. The majority of the artifacts was transferred and kept at secure places to ensure their safety.
It began limited operations in 2018 and completely reopened in January 2025, a month after opposition groups overthrew President Bashar al-Assad.
Every one of the country's cultural landmarks were damaged or partly ruined during the civil war.
The Islamic State group destroyed several religious structures and other structures at Palmyra, asserting that they were idolatrous. International authorities condemned the destruction as a violation.
Many artefacts were also lost or taken from historical locations and collections.
