Ancient Sculptures Taken from Syria's National Museum Located in Damascus
Valuable sculptures and additional items have been stolen from Syria's National Museum in the capital, sources confirm.
The theft was found on the start of the week, when museum workers apparently found that one of the museum's doors had been damaged from the interior.
The six stolen pieces were crafted from marble and dated back to the ancient Roman times, a source told the Associated Press.
Syria's Directorate-General for Antiquities and Museums said it had opened an investigation to determine the "circumstances surrounding the loss of a collection of artifacts", and that measures had been implemented to improve security and observation methods.
The head of internal security in the capital area, Brig-Gen Osama Atkeh, was referenced by the government press as stating that authorities were investigating the theft, which he said had targeted several "ancient sculptures and rare collectibles".
He noted that security personnel at the facility and other persons were being questioned.
The Damascus Museum, which was established in the early twentieth century, contains the primary archaeological collection in the country.
It contains ancient inscribed tablets tracing back to the ancient era from Ugarit, where proof of the earliest complete alphabet was discovered; early centuries CE classical statues from the ancient city, one of the most important cultural centres of the historical period; and a third century synagogue that was built at Dura Europos.
The institution was forced to close in 2012, a year after the beginning of the internal strife. A large portion of the artifacts was removed and kept at secure places to ensure their safety.
It reopened partially in 2018 and resumed full operations in early this year, one month after rebel forces deposed President Bashar al-Assad.
Each of the six of Syria's Unesco World Heritage sites were harmed or significantly impacted during the internal struggle.
The militant faction demolished multiple religious structures and other structures at the ancient city, stating that they were un-Islamic. International authorities denounced the destruction as a violation.
Many cultural items were also lost or taken from dig sites and collections.
