Valuable Artifacts Taken from Syria's National Museum Located in Damascus
Valuable statues and cultural objects have been removed from Syria's National Museum in Damascus, sources confirm.
The robbery was discovered on Monday, when staff reportedly found that one of the museum's doors had been damaged from the interior.
The multiple stolen sculptures were marble creations and traced back to the Roman era, an authority informed the media outlet.
Syria's Directorate-General for Antiquities and Museums said it had opened an investigation to determine the "events surrounding the theft of a number of exhibits", and that measures had been taken to strengthen security and monitoring systems.
The director of internal security in the Damascus region, Security Chief Atkeh, was cited by the official media as saying that security forces were investigating the incident, which he said had targeted several "archaeological statues and unique items".
He noted that museum protectors at the institution and other persons were being interrogated.
The Damascus Museum, which was established in the early twentieth century, holds the most important historical artifacts in the country.
It includes ancient inscribed tablets originating to the 14th Century BC from an ancient city, where evidence of the oldest known linguistic system was discovered; Greco-Roman period ancient art from the ancient city, among the foremost cultural centres of the historical period; and a 3rd Century AD synagogue that was constructed at Dura Europos.
The institution was had to cease operations in the early 2010s, twelve months after the outbreak of the destructive conflict. A large portion of the holdings was transferred and preserved at secure places to safeguard them.
It began limited operations in 2018 and completely reopened in early this year, four weeks after rebel forces deposed the Assad regime.
Every one of the country's cultural landmarks were damaged or partially destroyed during the internal struggle.
The IS organization blew up numerous temples and other structures at Palmyra, asserting that they were idolatrous. The cultural organization condemned the damage as a war crime.
Many historical objects were also lost or stolen from dig sites and museums.
