Valuable Statues Stolen from the National Museum Located in Damascus
Ancient artifacts and other artefacts have been taken from the National Museum of Syria in the capital, authorities report.
The robbery was noticed on the start of the week, when museum workers reportedly found that a doorway had been damaged from the interior.
The six taken statues were made of marble and dated back to the ancient Roman times, one official stated to the media outlet.
Cultural heritage officials said it had opened an investigation to establish the "circumstances surrounding the disappearance of a group of artifacts", and that steps had been enacted to strengthen safeguarding and surveillance.
The chief of domestic security in the capital area, Security Chief Atkeh, was quoted by the official media as saying that security forces were investigating the theft, which he said had affected several "archaeological statues and unique items".
He added that museum protectors at the museum and other individuals were being questioned.
The cultural institution, which was established in the early twentieth century, contains the primary cultural treasures in the country.
It contains historical records originating to the ancient era from Ugarit, where evidence of the oldest known complete alphabet was uncovered; Greco-Roman period classical statues from Palmyra, one of the most important historical locations of the historical period; and a ancient religious building that was established at an ancient location.
The museum was compelled to shut in 2012, one year after the beginning of the devastating civil war. The majority of the holdings was evacuated and preserved at secret locations to ensure their safety.
It reopened partially in 2018 and resumed full operations in early this year, four weeks after rebel forces overthrew the Assad regime.
Every one of Syria's Unesco World Heritage sites were affected or partly ruined during the internal struggle.
The militant faction blew up multiple ancient buildings and historical sites at Palmyra, asserting that they were idolatrous. The cultural organization denounced the damage as a atrocity.
Countless historical objects were also lost or taken from archaeological sites and museums.
