Historic Statues Taken from the National Museum Located in Damascus
Valuable artifacts and cultural objects have been stolen from the National Museum of Syria in Damascus, sources confirm.
The robbery was discovered on Monday, when staff allegedly found that one of the museum's doors had been damaged from the inside.
The multiple missing pieces were made of marble and originated to the Roman era, a source informed the news agency.
Syria's Directorate-General for Antiquities and Museums said it had initiated an inquiry to determine the "details surrounding the theft of a group of items", and that steps had been implemented to improve security and observation methods.
The director of national security in the Damascus region, Brig-Gen Osama Atkeh, was cited by the government press as saying that law enforcement were probing the theft, which he said had focused on several "historical artifacts and valuable objects".
He continued that security personnel at the museum and other individuals were being questioned.
The cultural institution, which was founded in 1919, contains the primary cultural treasures in Syria.
It includes historical records dating back to the Bronze Age from Ugarit, where indications of the earliest linguistic system was found; 1st and 2nd Century AD classical statues from the ancient city, a significant ancient sites of the historical period; and a ancient synagogue that was built at Dura Europos.
The museum was forced to close in the early 2010s, a year after the start of the destructive conflict. Most of the artifacts was removed and stored at secure places to ensure their safety.
It partially resumed in 2018 and resumed full operations in the beginning of the year, a month after insurgents removed the Assad regime.
All six of nationally recognized sites were harmed or partially destroyed during the civil war.
The IS organization destroyed several ancient buildings and historical sites at Palmyra, asserting that they were against their beliefs. International authorities condemned the destruction as a violation.
Numerous artefacts were also damaged or looted from archaeological sites and cultural institutions.
