Historic Statues Taken from Syria's National Museum in Damascus
Ancient statues and other artefacts have been removed from the National Museum of Syria in the capital, authorities report.
The theft was found on Monday, when staff allegedly found that an entrance had been forced from the interior.
The half-dozen missing sculptures were made of marble and traced back to the Roman period, one official informed the media outlet.
Cultural heritage officials said it had initiated an inquiry to identify the "details surrounding the loss of a collection of artifacts", and that actions had been taken to strengthen safeguarding and surveillance.
The head of internal security in Damascus province, Security Chief Atkeh, was cited by the state-run Sana news agency as saying that law enforcement were examining the incident, which he said had focused on several "archaeological statues and valuable objects".
He noted that guards at the institution and other persons were being interviewed.
The cultural institution, which was founded in the early twentieth century, houses the significant historical artifacts in the country.
It features clay cuneiform tablets originating to the ancient era from an ancient city, where indications of the oldest known complete alphabet was uncovered; early centuries CE Greco-Roman sculptures from Palmyra, one of the most important cultural centres of the ancient world; and a ancient synagogue that was built at Dura Europos.
The museum was compelled to shut in 2012, twelve months after the start of the internal strife. Most of the artifacts was evacuated and stored at secret locations to ensure their safety.
It began limited operations in recent years and resumed full operations in January 2025, four weeks after rebel forces overthrew the Assad regime.
Each of the six of nationally recognized sites were affected or partially destroyed during the civil war.
The IS organization demolished numerous religious structures and additional edifices at Palmyra, claiming that they were un-Islamic. The cultural organization condemned the demolition as a violation.
Many cultural items were also destroyed or stolen from dig sites and museums.
