Historic Sculptures Stolen from Syria's National Museum Located in Damascus
Valuable sculptures and cultural objects have been taken from Syria's National Museum in the capital, sources confirm.
The theft was noticed on the start of the week, when museum workers apparently found that an entrance had been forced from the interior.
The six missing pieces were crafted from marble and originated to the Roman era, a source told the news agency.
Syria's Directorate-General for Antiquities and Museums said it had initiated an inquiry to identify the "events surrounding the disappearance of a group of exhibits", and that actions had been implemented to strengthen safeguarding and surveillance.
The chief of internal security in the Damascus region, Brig-Gen Osama Atkeh, was referenced by the government press as saying that law enforcement were probing the theft, which he said had affected several "archaeological statues and valuable objects".
He noted that security personnel at the museum and additional people were being questioned.
The National Museum, which was created in the early twentieth century, houses the significant cultural treasures in Syria.
It contains ancient inscribed tablets originating to the ancient era from Ugarit, where evidence of the oldest known writing system was found; 1st and 2nd Century AD ancient art from Palmyra, one of the most important cultural centres of the historical period; and a ancient synagogue that was built at Dura Europos.
The museum was compelled to shut in the early 2010s, twelve months after the outbreak of the destructive conflict. A large portion of the artifacts was removed and preserved at secret locations to ensure their safety.
It reopened partially in 2018 and returned to normal in early this year, one month after opposition groups deposed the Assad regime.
Every one of nationally recognized sites were harmed or partly ruined during the internal struggle.
The IS organization demolished several temples and historical sites at the archaeological site, asserting that they were un-Islamic. International authorities censured the demolition as a war crime.
Countless historical objects were also lost or taken from historical locations and collections.
