Ancient Sculptures Stolen from the National Museum Located in Damascus
Historic sculptures and other artefacts have been removed from the National Museum of Syria in the capital, officials say.
The theft was found on Monday, when museum workers apparently found that a doorway had been damaged from the inside.
The six missing sculptures were marble creations and traced back to the Roman era, an authority told the Associated Press.
Syria's Directorate-General for Antiquities and Museums said it had initiated an inquiry to establish the "details surrounding the theft of a collection of artifacts", and that actions had been taken to enhance protection and monitoring systems.
The head of domestic security in the Damascus region, General Osama Atkeh, was cited by the state-run Sana news agency as saying that law enforcement were examining the robbery, which he said had focused on several "ancient sculptures and valuable objects".
He noted that museum protectors at the institution and additional people were being interrogated.
The National Museum, which was created in the early twentieth century, contains the primary historical artifacts in Syria.
It features ancient inscribed tablets originating to the 14th Century BC from historical site, where evidence of the oldest known linguistic system was discovered; 1st and 2nd Century AD Greco-Roman sculptures from Palmyra, one of the most important historical locations of the historical period; and a ancient Jewish temple that was built at an ancient location.
The facility was had to cease operations in 2012, one year after the start of the destructive conflict. The majority of the artifacts was removed and stored at undisclosed sites to ensure their safety.
It began limited operations in 2018 and resumed full operations in January 2025, one month after rebel forces removed the Assad regime.
Every one of the country's cultural landmarks were harmed or partially destroyed during the internal struggle.
The Islamic State group blew up multiple temples and other structures at the ancient city, stating that they were un-Islamic. Unesco censured the demolition as a violation.
Many artefacts were also damaged or looted from archaeological sites and cultural institutions.
