Historic Sculptures Taken from the National Museum Located in Damascus
Ancient statues and other artefacts have been removed from Syria's National Museum in Damascus, authorities report.
The robbery was found on Monday, when museum workers reportedly found that one of the museum's doors had been forced from the inside.
The six taken sculptures were crafted from marble and traced back to the ancient Roman times, one official told the media outlet.
Cultural heritage officials said it had opened an investigation to determine the "details surrounding the theft of a collection of exhibits", and that steps had been taken to strengthen security and observation methods.
The head of national security in the capital area, General Osama Atkeh, was cited by the state-run Sana news agency as saying that law enforcement were examining the incident, which he said had affected several "ancient sculptures and valuable objects".
He continued that security personnel at the institution and additional people were being questioned.
The National Museum, which was created in the early twentieth century, contains the significant historical artifacts in Syria.
It features historical records originating to the ancient era from Ugarit, where evidence of the earliest writing system was uncovered; 1st and 2nd Century AD classical statues from Palmyra, one of the most important historical locations of the historical period; and a 3rd Century AD synagogue that was established at another archaeological site.
The institution was compelled to shut in 2012, one year after the outbreak of the internal strife. A large portion of the collection was evacuated and stored at secret locations to protect them.
It partially resumed in 2018 and completely reopened in January 2025, four weeks after rebel forces removed Syria's former leader.
All six of Syria's Unesco World Heritage sites were damaged or significantly impacted during the conflict.
The Islamic State group blew up multiple religious structures and additional edifices at the archaeological site, claiming that they were un-Islamic. The cultural organization condemned the damage as a violation.
Many cultural items were also lost or looted from historical locations and museums.
