Historic Sculptures Removed from Syria's National Museum Located in Damascus
Ancient statues and additional items have been taken from the National Museum of Syria in Damascus, authorities report.
The theft was noticed on the start of the week, when staff allegedly found that a doorway had been broken from the interior.
The half-dozen stolen sculptures were marble creations and dated back to the Roman era, an authority informed the media outlet.
The nation's antiquities authority said it had initiated an inquiry to establish the "events surrounding the disappearance of a number of items", and that actions had been enacted to strengthen protection and observation methods.
The chief of domestic security in Damascus province, Security Chief Atkeh, was referenced by the state-run Sana news agency as saying that authorities were examining the theft, which he said had focused on several "historical artifacts and valuable objects".
He noted that museum protectors at the facility and other individuals were being questioned.
The Damascus Museum, which was created in 1919, houses the significant archaeological collection in Syria.
It includes 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 ancient art from historical site, a significant ancient sites of the classical era; and a ancient synagogue that was constructed at an ancient location.
The institution was had to cease operations in the early 2010s, one year after the outbreak of the destructive conflict. A large portion of the holdings was transferred and stored at secure places to safeguard them.
It began limited operations in 2018 and completely reopened in the beginning of the year, a month after rebel forces removed the Assad regime.
Every one of Syria's Unesco World Heritage sites were harmed or partially destroyed during the internal struggle.
The IS organization blew up several religious structures and additional edifices at the ancient city, claiming that they were un-Islamic. Unesco denounced the damage as a war crime.
Countless cultural items were also lost or taken from dig sites and cultural institutions.
