Valuable Statues Taken from the National Museum Located in Damascus
Historic artifacts and other artefacts have been removed from Syria's National Museum in the capital, officials say.
The robbery was noticed on the start of the week, when staff apparently found that a doorway had been broken from the interior.
The multiple stolen pieces were marble creations and originated to the ancient Roman times, one official stated to the news agency.
Syria's Directorate-General for Antiquities and Museums said it had initiated an inquiry to determine the "events surrounding the theft of a collection of exhibits", and that actions had been implemented to improve protection and monitoring systems.
The head of domestic security in Damascus province, Security Chief Atkeh, was referenced by the official media as saying that security forces were investigating the robbery, which he said had affected several "archaeological statues and rare collectibles".
He added that museum protectors at the institution and additional people were being questioned.
The National Museum, which was established in 1919, holds the primary historical artifacts in Syria.
It includes ancient inscribed tablets dating back to the 14th Century BC from Ugarit, where evidence of the most ancient writing system was uncovered; 1st and 2nd Century AD classical statues from historical site, one of the most important cultural centres of the ancient world; and a third century synagogue that was built at an ancient location.
The facility was had to cease operations in the early 2010s, a year after the start of the destructive conflict. The majority of the artifacts was removed and kept at secure places to safeguard them.
It partially resumed in 2018 and completely reopened in January 2025, a month after rebel forces overthrew the Assad regime.
All six of nationally recognized sites were damaged or significantly impacted during the internal struggle.
The militant faction blew up multiple ancient buildings and additional edifices at the ancient city, asserting that they were un-Islamic. International authorities denounced the destruction as a war crime.
Numerous artefacts were also lost or looted from historical locations and cultural institutions.
