Historic Artifacts Stolen from Syria's National Museum Located in Damascus
Valuable artifacts and other artefacts have been stolen from the National Museum of Syria in Damascus, authorities report.
The robbery was found on Monday, when employees allegedly found that an entrance had been damaged from the interior.
The half-dozen taken sculptures were crafted from marble and dated back to the Roman period, one official informed the media outlet.
Syria's Directorate-General for Antiquities and Museums said it had opened an investigation to determine the "events surrounding the theft of a collection of items", and that measures had been taken to enhance protection and surveillance.
The chief 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 theft, which he said had affected several "ancient sculptures and rare collectibles".
He added that guards at the facility and other persons were being interrogated.
The cultural institution, which was established in 1919, holds the most important cultural treasures in the country.
It features ancient inscribed tablets tracing back to the Bronze Age from historical site, where indications of the most ancient complete alphabet was discovered; Greco-Roman period Greco-Roman sculptures from historical site, a significant ancient sites of the historical period; and a 3rd Century AD religious building that was established at an ancient location.
The museum was had to cease operations in 2012, a year after the beginning of the devastating civil war. A large portion of the collection was transferred and stored at secret locations to protect them.
It began limited operations in 2018 and resumed full operations in the beginning of the year, one month after rebel forces overthrew President Bashar al-Assad.
All six of Syria's Unesco World Heritage sites were harmed or partly ruined during the internal struggle.
The Islamic State group blew up numerous religious structures and historical sites at the ancient city, stating that they were idolatrous. Unesco denounced the damage as a atrocity.
Countless historical objects were also damaged or taken from historical locations and collections.
