Ancient Statues Taken from Syria's National Museum Located in Damascus
Ancient artifacts and other artefacts have been stolen from the National Museum of Syria in the capital, sources confirm.
The theft was noticed on the start of the week, when employees apparently found that an entrance had been broken from the inside.
The half-dozen missing statues were crafted from marble and originated to the ancient Roman times, a source stated to the Associated Press.
Cultural heritage officials said it had opened an investigation to identify the "circumstances surrounding the disappearance of a group of artifacts", and that actions had been enacted to improve protection and monitoring systems.
The director of domestic security in Damascus province, Brig-Gen Osama Atkeh, was quoted by the state-run Sana news agency as saying that security forces were investigating the incident, which he said had targeted several "archaeological statues and unique items".
He continued that museum protectors at the institution and other individuals were being questioned.
The Damascus Museum, which was established in the early twentieth century, houses the most important archaeological collection in the country.
It contains ancient inscribed tablets originating to the Bronze Age from Ugarit, where evidence of the oldest known writing system was found; Greco-Roman period Greco-Roman sculptures from the ancient city, one of the most important ancient sites of the ancient world; and a third century synagogue that was established at another archaeological site.
The museum was forced to close in 2012, twelve months after the beginning of the devastating civil war. A large portion of the artifacts was transferred and preserved at secure places to protect them.
It partially resumed in 2018 and completely reopened in the beginning of the year, a month after rebel forces overthrew the Assad regime.
Every one of the country's cultural landmarks were harmed or partially destroyed during the internal struggle.
The militant faction demolished numerous temples and other structures at the ancient city, asserting that they were idolatrous. The cultural organization condemned the demolition as a violation.
Numerous historical objects were also lost or looted from dig sites and museums.
