Valuable Statues Taken from the National Museum Located in Damascus
Valuable artifacts and cultural objects have been removed from the National Museum of Syria in Damascus, officials say.
The burglary was noticed on the start of the week, when staff apparently found that one of the museum's doors had been broken from the interior.
The half-dozen stolen sculptures were made of marble and dated back to the Roman period, a source informed the media outlet.
The nation's antiquities authority said it had opened an investigation to establish the "details surrounding the theft of a group of items", and that steps had been implemented to enhance safeguarding and monitoring systems.
The chief of national security in the Damascus region, General Osama Atkeh, was cited by the government press as declaring that law enforcement were examining the incident, which he said had focused on several "historical artifacts and unique items".
He continued that guards at the museum and other individuals were being questioned.
The National Museum, which was created in 1919, houses the primary cultural treasures in the country.
It features ancient inscribed tablets tracing back to the Bronze Age from an ancient city, where proof of the earliest writing system was uncovered; Greco-Roman period Greco-Roman sculptures from the ancient city, among the foremost cultural centres of the historical period; and a 3rd Century AD religious building that was constructed at Dura Europos.
The facility was forced to close in 2012, one year after the start of the internal strife. Most of the holdings was evacuated and stored at undisclosed sites to ensure their safety.
It partially resumed in recent years and completely reopened in the beginning of the year, one month after rebel forces overthrew President Bashar al-Assad.
Each of the six of the country's cultural landmarks were harmed or significantly impacted during the conflict.
The militant faction blew up several ancient buildings and other structures at the archaeological site, asserting that they were against their beliefs. International authorities condemned the demolition as a war crime.
Many cultural items were also destroyed or stolen from dig sites and collections.
