Historic Sculptures Removed from Syria's National Museum Located in Damascus
Valuable sculptures and other artefacts have been taken from Syria's National Museum in Damascus, authorities report.
The robbery was discovered on the start of the week, when staff allegedly found that one of the museum's doors had been forced from the interior.
The half-dozen stolen statues were crafted from marble and originated to the Roman period, an authority stated to the media outlet.
Syria's Directorate-General for Antiquities and Museums said it had launched a probe to identify the "details surrounding the disappearance of a group of artifacts", and that measures had been enacted to improve security and surveillance.
The head of domestic security in the capital area, General Osama Atkeh, was cited by the state-run Sana news agency as declaring that security forces were examining the robbery, which he said had focused on several "ancient sculptures and valuable objects".
He added that security personnel at the museum and other individuals were being interviewed.
The National Museum, which was created in 1919, houses the most important archaeological collection in the country.
It includes clay cuneiform tablets tracing back to the ancient era from an ancient city, where evidence of the earliest linguistic system was discovered; early centuries CE Greco-Roman sculptures from the ancient city, among the foremost cultural centres of the classical era; and a ancient Jewish temple that was constructed at another archaeological site.
The facility was had to cease operations in the early 2010s, a year after the start of the destructive conflict. A large portion of the holdings was transferred and stored at undisclosed sites to protect them.
It partially resumed in recent years and resumed full operations in January 2025, four weeks after rebel forces overthrew Syria's former leader.
All six of nationally recognized sites were damaged or partially destroyed during the internal struggle.
The militant faction blew up several temples and historical sites at the archaeological site, asserting that they were against their beliefs. Unesco censured the destruction as a atrocity.
Countless historical objects were also lost or looted from dig sites and cultural institutions.
