Historic Sculptures Stolen from the National Museum Located in Damascus
Valuable artifacts and cultural objects have been stolen from Syria's National Museum in Damascus, officials say.
The robbery was found on the start of the week, when museum workers allegedly found that one of the museum's doors had been forced from the interior.
The half-dozen missing pieces were crafted from marble and traced back to the Roman period, a source stated to the media outlet.
Cultural heritage officials said it had opened an investigation to establish the "events surrounding the loss of a number of artifacts", and that steps had been taken to strengthen security and monitoring systems.
The chief of internal security in Damascus province, Security Chief Atkeh, was referenced by the official media as declaring that authorities were investigating the incident, which he said had affected several "archaeological statues and rare collectibles".
He continued that museum protectors at the facility and other individuals were being questioned.
The National Museum, which was created in 1919, holds the most important historical artifacts in the country.
It includes clay cuneiform tablets dating back to the 14th Century BC from historical site, where indications of the most ancient complete alphabet was uncovered; early centuries CE Greco-Roman sculptures from historical site, a significant cultural centres of the ancient world; and a third century religious building that was established at another archaeological site.
The institution was compelled to shut in 2012, one year after the outbreak of the devastating civil war. A large portion of the collection was removed and stored at secure places to safeguard them.
It reopened partially in 2018 and returned to normal in January 2025, four weeks after rebel forces overthrew Syria's former leader.
All six of the country's cultural landmarks were damaged or partially destroyed during the civil war.
The Islamic State group blew up multiple ancient buildings and historical sites at the archaeological site, asserting that they were against their beliefs. The cultural organization denounced the destruction as a atrocity.
Numerous historical objects were also damaged or taken from historical locations and collections.
