Valuable Sculptures Stolen from the National Museum Located in Damascus
Valuable artifacts and other artefacts have been removed from the National Museum of Syria in the capital, authorities report.
The theft was discovered on Monday, when employees reportedly found that a doorway had been broken from the interior.
The half-dozen taken pieces were made of marble and traced back to the ancient Roman times, one official informed the Associated Press.
Syria's Directorate-General for Antiquities and Museums said it had opened an investigation to establish the "details surrounding the disappearance of a number of artifacts", and that steps had been implemented to enhance safeguarding and observation methods.
The head of national security in Damascus province, Security Chief Atkeh, was cited by the government press as saying that law enforcement were examining the incident, which he said had focused on several "historical artifacts and valuable objects".
He added that museum protectors at the facility and additional people were being interviewed.
The National Museum, which was founded in the early twentieth century, contains the most important archaeological collection in Syria.
It contains clay cuneiform tablets originating to the 14th Century BC from Ugarit, where evidence of the oldest known linguistic system was discovered; Greco-Roman period ancient art from the ancient city, among the foremost ancient sites of the ancient world; and a ancient religious building that was constructed at another archaeological site.
The institution was compelled to shut in 2012, one year after the start of the devastating civil war. The majority of the holdings was transferred and preserved at secure places to protect them.
It began limited operations in 2018 and completely reopened in early this year, one month after opposition groups overthrew Syria's former leader.
All six of Syria's Unesco World Heritage sites were harmed or significantly impacted during the conflict.
The IS organization blew up numerous religious structures and other structures at the ancient city, stating that they were idolatrous. International authorities denounced the destruction as a war crime.
Many cultural items were also damaged or looted from archaeological sites and museums.
