Ancient Sculptures Taken from Syria's National Museum Located in Damascus
Historic sculptures and other artefacts have been removed from Syria's National Museum in the capital, officials say.
The theft was found on the start of the week, when employees apparently found that a doorway had been broken from the inside.
The half-dozen taken pieces were made of marble and traced back to the Roman period, one official stated to the news agency.
Cultural heritage officials said it had launched a probe to identify the "details surrounding the disappearance of a number of artifacts", and that measures had been taken to enhance safeguarding and observation methods.
The head of national security in Damascus province, Brig-Gen Osama Atkeh, was referenced by the government press as saying that authorities were investigating the robbery, which he said had targeted several "archaeological statues and valuable objects".
He added that museum protectors at the museum and other individuals were being interrogated.
The National Museum, which was created in the early twentieth century, houses the primary cultural treasures in the country.
It includes historical records tracing back to the 14th Century BC from an ancient city, where proof of the most ancient linguistic system was uncovered; 1st and 2nd Century AD classical statues from Palmyra, a significant historical locations of the classical era; and a third century religious building that was constructed at an ancient location.
The institution was compelled to shut in 2012, a year after the outbreak of the destructive conflict. The majority of the artifacts was evacuated and preserved at secure places to safeguard them.
It partially resumed in recent years and returned to normal in January 2025, four weeks after opposition groups deposed the Assad regime.
All six of the country's cultural landmarks were damaged or partially destroyed during the conflict.
The militant faction blew up several religious structures and historical sites at Palmyra, claiming that they were idolatrous. Unesco censured the damage as a violation.
Numerous artefacts were also lost or taken from historical locations and cultural institutions.