Ancient Artifacts Taken from Syria's National Museum Located in Damascus
Valuable statues and additional items have been taken from Syria's National Museum in Damascus, officials say.
The robbery was discovered on Monday, when museum workers apparently found that an entrance had been broken from the interior.
The half-dozen missing sculptures were made of marble and dated back to the Roman period, a source told the Associated Press.
The nation's antiquities authority said it had launched a probe to identify the "details surrounding the disappearance of a collection of items", and that steps had been implemented to strengthen safeguarding and monitoring systems.
The head of national security in the Damascus region, General Osama Atkeh, was referenced by the official media as declaring that authorities were probing the theft, which he said had targeted several "archaeological statues and rare collectibles".
He noted that museum protectors at the facility and other individuals were being questioned.
The cultural institution, which was created in 1919, houses the significant historical artifacts in Syria.
It features historical records tracing back to the Bronze Age from historical site, where proof of the earliest writing system was uncovered; Greco-Roman period Greco-Roman sculptures from Palmyra, one of the most important historical locations of the historical period; and a 3rd Century AD synagogue that was constructed at an ancient location.
The institution was compelled to shut in the early 2010s, one year after the start of the internal strife. The majority of the collection was evacuated and stored at secure places to protect them.
It began limited operations in 2018 and completely reopened in January 2025, one month after opposition groups removed President Bashar al-Assad.
Each of the six of the country's cultural landmarks were damaged or partly ruined during the civil war.
The militant faction destroyed multiple religious structures and historical sites at the archaeological site, stating that they were un-Islamic. International authorities denounced the demolition as a atrocity.
Many cultural items were also destroyed or taken from dig sites and museums.
