Ancient Artifacts Stolen from the National Museum Located in Damascus
Ancient artifacts and cultural objects have been taken from the National Museum of Syria in Damascus, officials say.
The burglary was discovered on Monday, when museum workers apparently found that one of the museum's doors had been damaged from the interior.
The multiple missing statues were made of marble and traced back to the Roman era, one official stated to the media outlet.
Syria's Directorate-General for Antiquities and Museums said it had launched a probe to identify the "circumstances surrounding the disappearance of a number of exhibits", and that steps had been implemented to strengthen safeguarding and surveillance.
The chief of internal security in the Damascus region, Brig-Gen Osama Atkeh, was referenced by the state-run Sana news agency as stating that law enforcement were investigating the incident, which he said had affected several "historical artifacts and rare collectibles".
He added that guards at the facility and other persons were being interrogated.
The National Museum, which was founded in 1919, contains the most important cultural treasures in the country.
It includes ancient inscribed tablets dating back to the ancient era from historical site, where proof of the most ancient linguistic system was discovered; Greco-Roman period ancient art from historical site, one of the most important historical locations of the ancient world; and a 3rd Century AD synagogue that was built at Dura Europos.
The institution was had to cease operations in the early 2010s, twelve months after the beginning of the internal strife. The majority of the holdings was removed and stored at undisclosed sites to safeguard them.
It began limited operations in recent years and completely reopened in the beginning of the year, four weeks after insurgents overthrew Syria's former leader.
All six of the country's cultural landmarks were affected or partially destroyed during the internal struggle.
The Islamic State group destroyed numerous temples and additional edifices at the ancient city, asserting that they were idolatrous. The cultural organization denounced the destruction as a violation.
Countless cultural items were also damaged or taken from dig sites and cultural institutions.
