Ancient Sculptures Removed from the National Museum Located in Damascus
Valuable sculptures and other artefacts have been taken from the National Museum of Syria in the capital, authorities report.
The robbery was discovered on Monday, when museum workers apparently found that an entrance had been damaged from the inside.
The half-dozen taken sculptures were marble creations and dated back to the Roman era, one official stated to the media outlet.
The nation's antiquities authority said it had launched a probe to identify the "circumstances surrounding the theft of a collection of items", and that measures had been enacted to improve security and observation methods.
The head of internal security in Damascus province, General Osama Atkeh, was quoted by the official media as declaring that authorities were investigating the theft, which he said had affected several "historical artifacts and rare collectibles".
He noted that guards at the museum and other persons were being questioned.
The Damascus Museum, which was founded in 1919, contains the most important cultural treasures in the country.
It features clay cuneiform tablets tracing back to the Bronze Age from an ancient city, where indications of the oldest known linguistic system was discovered; Greco-Roman period Greco-Roman sculptures from the ancient city, a significant historical locations of the historical period; and a third century synagogue that was built at an ancient location.
The institution was had to cease operations in 2012, one year after the start of the internal strife. A large portion of the holdings was transferred and stored at undisclosed sites to ensure their safety.
It partially resumed in 2018 and completely reopened in January 2025, a month after opposition groups deposed President Bashar al-Assad.
All six of Syria's Unesco World Heritage sites were affected or partially destroyed during the conflict.
The Islamic State group demolished multiple religious structures and other structures at the ancient city, stating that they were against their beliefs. Unesco condemned the destruction as a violation.
Many historical objects were also damaged or looted from historical locations and collections.
