Valuable Statues Removed from Syria's National Museum Located in Damascus
Valuable statues and other artefacts have been removed from Syria's National Museum in Damascus, officials say.
The theft was noticed on the start of the week, when museum workers reportedly found that one of the museum's doors had been broken from the inside.
The multiple taken pieces were marble creations and dated back to the Roman era, an authority stated to the Associated Press.
Cultural heritage officials said it had initiated an inquiry to establish the "circumstances surrounding the theft of a collection of exhibits", and that measures had been enacted to strengthen security and observation methods.
The head of internal security in Damascus province, General Osama Atkeh, was quoted by the government press as stating that security forces were investigating the theft, which he said had focused on several "ancient sculptures and valuable objects".
He continued that guards at the museum and additional people were being questioned.
The National Museum, which was created in the early twentieth century, houses the most important historical artifacts in Syria.
It includes historical records tracing back to the 14th Century BC from historical site, where indications of the earliest linguistic system was found; Greco-Roman period classical statues from the ancient city, one of the most important ancient sites of the classical era; and a third century Jewish temple that was constructed at another archaeological site.
The institution was compelled to shut in 2012, a year after the outbreak of the destructive conflict. The majority of the collection was evacuated and stored at secret locations to ensure their safety.
It began limited operations in 2018 and completely reopened in January 2025, a month after opposition groups removed President Bashar al-Assad.
All six of nationally recognized sites were damaged or significantly impacted during the internal struggle.
The Islamic State group demolished several temples and additional edifices at the archaeological site, claiming that they were un-Islamic. International authorities censured the demolition as a violation.
Many artefacts were also damaged or looted from archaeological sites and museums.
