Ancient Sculptures Taken from the National Museum in Damascus
Valuable statues and other artefacts have been removed from the National Museum of Syria in Damascus, officials say.
The theft was noticed on Monday, when staff apparently found that one of the museum's doors had been forced from the inside.
The half-dozen missing statues were crafted from marble and originated to the Roman era, one official informed the media outlet.
Syria's Directorate-General for Antiquities and Museums said it had initiated an inquiry to determine the "events surrounding the loss of a collection of items", and that measures had been taken to strengthen safeguarding and observation methods.
The head of national security in Damascus province, Brig-Gen Osama Atkeh, was referenced by the official media as stating that law enforcement were investigating the robbery, which he said had focused on several "historical artifacts and valuable objects".
He added that museum protectors at the facility and other persons were being interrogated.
The cultural institution, which was founded in the early twentieth century, houses the primary archaeological collection in Syria.
It contains ancient inscribed tablets dating back to the ancient era from Ugarit, where proof of the earliest linguistic system was uncovered; early centuries CE ancient art from historical site, a significant ancient sites of the classical era; and a third century synagogue that was built at Dura Europos.
The museum was had to cease operations in the early 2010s, a year after the beginning of the devastating civil war. The majority of the collection was removed and stored at secret locations to ensure their safety.
It reopened partially in 2018 and returned to normal in early this year, one month after insurgents deposed the Assad regime.
All six of nationally recognized sites were damaged or partially destroyed during the internal struggle.
The militant faction destroyed multiple temples and historical sites at the ancient city, asserting that they were idolatrous. International authorities censured the demolition as a war crime.
Many artefacts were also destroyed or looted from dig sites and collections.
