Historic Sculptures Taken from the National Museum Located in Damascus
Historic statues and other artefacts have been stolen from the National Museum of Syria in the capital, officials say.
The theft was found on the start of the week, when employees allegedly found that a doorway had been broken from the inside.
The multiple stolen statues were crafted from marble and dated back to the ancient Roman times, a source told the news agency.
The nation's antiquities authority said it had opened an investigation to determine the "events surrounding the disappearance of a collection of items", and that steps had been implemented to enhance safeguarding and surveillance.
The chief of domestic security in Damascus province, Brig-Gen Osama Atkeh, was referenced by the state-run Sana news agency as declaring that law enforcement were investigating the robbery, which he said had focused on several "ancient sculptures and rare collectibles".
He added that guards at the facility and other persons were being interrogated.
The cultural institution, which was created in 1919, contains the most important historical artifacts in Syria.
It includes clay cuneiform tablets originating to the 14th Century BC from historical site, where indications of the earliest complete alphabet was uncovered; early centuries CE Greco-Roman sculptures from historical site, a significant cultural centres of the classical era; and a third century religious building that was built at Dura Europos.
The facility was had to cease operations in the early 2010s, twelve months after the beginning of the internal strife. A large portion of the artifacts was evacuated and kept at secure places to ensure their safety.
It partially resumed in recent years and completely reopened in January 2025, one month after insurgents removed Syria's former leader.
Every one of nationally recognized sites were affected or partially destroyed during the civil war.
The militant faction destroyed numerous religious structures and other structures at the archaeological site, stating that they were un-Islamic. The cultural organization condemned the destruction as a war crime.
Many artefacts were also destroyed or taken from archaeological sites and collections.
