Historic Sculptures Removed from the National Museum Located in Damascus
Ancient sculptures and additional items have been removed from Syria's National Museum in Damascus, officials say.
The theft was discovered on Monday, when staff reportedly found that a doorway had been damaged from the inside.
The half-dozen missing pieces were marble creations and traced back to the Roman era, a source informed the news agency.
Cultural heritage officials said it had opened an investigation to identify the "details surrounding the theft of a group of artifacts", and that steps had been implemented to improve safeguarding and monitoring systems.
The director of domestic security in the Damascus region, Brig-Gen Osama Atkeh, was quoted by the state-run Sana news agency as declaring that security forces were investigating the theft, which he said had affected several "historical artifacts and valuable objects".
He added that museum protectors at the institution and other persons were being questioned.
The cultural institution, which was established in 1919, houses the most important historical artifacts in the country.
It features historical records tracing back to the ancient era from historical site, where evidence of the earliest writing system was found; Greco-Roman period classical statues from the ancient city, among the foremost cultural centres of the historical period; and a third century Jewish temple that was constructed at an ancient location.
The museum was had to cease operations in the early 2010s, a year after the outbreak of the destructive conflict. The majority of the artifacts was evacuated and stored at secret locations to safeguard them.
It began limited operations in 2018 and resumed full operations in January 2025, a month after rebel forces deposed Syria's former leader.
All six of Syria's Unesco World Heritage sites were affected or significantly impacted during the civil war.
The IS organization blew up several ancient buildings and historical sites at the ancient city, stating that they were un-Islamic. Unesco censured the destruction as a atrocity.
Many artefacts were also destroyed or taken from historical locations and collections.
