Historic Statues Removed from Syria's National Museum Located in Damascus
Ancient sculptures and other artefacts have been taken from the National Museum of Syria in Damascus, authorities report.
The burglary was discovered on the start of the week, when employees reportedly found that an entrance had been damaged from the interior.
The multiple taken statues were made of marble and originated to the ancient Roman times, a source informed the media outlet.
Cultural heritage officials said it had initiated an inquiry to determine the "details surrounding the disappearance of a collection of items", and that measures had been implemented to improve security and observation methods.
The head of national security in the Damascus region, Brig-Gen Osama Atkeh, was quoted by the official media as declaring that law enforcement were probing the incident, which he said had affected several "historical artifacts and rare collectibles".
He noted that museum protectors at the museum and other individuals were being questioned.
The National Museum, which was created in 1919, holds the primary historical artifacts in Syria.
It includes historical records dating back to the ancient era from an ancient city, where evidence of the oldest known writing system was discovered; 1st and 2nd Century AD ancient art from the ancient city, a significant ancient sites of the classical era; and a 3rd Century AD synagogue that was constructed at Dura Europos.
The museum was forced to close in 2012, a year after the outbreak of the destructive conflict. Most of the artifacts was evacuated and stored at secure places to protect them.
It began limited operations in 2018 and completely reopened in the beginning of the year, one month after opposition groups deposed the Assad regime.
Every one of nationally recognized sites were harmed or partly ruined during the internal struggle.
The Islamic State group destroyed multiple ancient buildings and other structures at the archaeological site, claiming that they were against their beliefs. The cultural organization censured the demolition as a atrocity.
Many historical objects were also destroyed or taken from historical locations and museums.