Historic Sculptures Removed from the National Museum in Damascus
Historic sculptures and additional items have been stolen from the National Museum of Syria in the capital, authorities report.
The burglary was found on Monday, when staff allegedly found that a doorway had been damaged from the inside.
The multiple missing statues were crafted from marble and originated to the ancient Roman times, a source informed the media outlet.
Cultural heritage officials said it had initiated an inquiry to identify the "circumstances surrounding the disappearance of a group of artifacts", and that steps had been implemented to improve protection and monitoring systems.
The chief of domestic security in the Damascus region, General Osama Atkeh, was referenced by the state-run Sana news agency as stating that authorities were probing the incident, which he said had focused on several "ancient sculptures and rare collectibles".
He continued that museum protectors at the museum and additional people were being interviewed.
The Damascus Museum, which was created in the early twentieth century, houses the most important archaeological collection in Syria.
It contains ancient inscribed tablets originating to the ancient era from an ancient city, where proof of the earliest linguistic system was found; early centuries CE classical statues from Palmyra, one of the most important ancient sites of the historical period; and a third century Jewish temple that was built at another archaeological site.
The museum was forced to close in the early 2010s, twelve months after the beginning of the destructive conflict. A large portion of the artifacts was removed and kept at secret locations to protect them.
It began limited operations in recent years and returned to normal in January 2025, a month after rebel forces removed President Bashar al-Assad.
Each of the six of nationally recognized sites were affected or significantly impacted during the conflict.
The Islamic State group demolished several ancient buildings and other structures at Palmyra, stating that they were un-Islamic. International authorities denounced the damage as a atrocity.
Numerous artefacts were also damaged or taken from dig sites and museums.