Valuable Statues Stolen from the National Museum Located in Damascus
Valuable statues and additional items have been removed from the National Museum of Syria in Damascus, authorities report.
The burglary was discovered on the start of the week, when employees reportedly found that one of the museum's doors had been forced from the inside.
The six stolen statues were crafted from marble and dated back to the Roman era, one official stated to the Associated Press.
Syria's Directorate-General for Antiquities and Museums said it had opened an investigation to determine the "events surrounding the disappearance of a collection of exhibits", and that steps had been taken to enhance protection and surveillance.
The head of national security in the Damascus region, Brig-Gen Osama Atkeh, was quoted by the official media as declaring that authorities were investigating the incident, which he said had focused on several "archaeological statues and unique items".
He continued that guards at the museum and additional people were being interviewed.
The Damascus Museum, which was established in the early twentieth century, houses the most important cultural treasures in the country.
It includes historical records dating back to the 14th Century BC from Ugarit, where proof of the earliest complete alphabet was discovered; 1st and 2nd Century AD ancient art from Palmyra, among the foremost historical locations of the historical period; and a third century synagogue that was established at an ancient location.
The museum was compelled to shut in the early 2010s, a year after the beginning of the destructive conflict. The majority of the collection was removed and preserved at secret locations to protect them.
It partially resumed in 2018 and resumed full operations in early this year, one month after opposition groups deposed President Bashar al-Assad.
Every one of Syria's Unesco World Heritage sites were damaged or significantly impacted during the internal struggle.
The Islamic State group destroyed multiple religious structures and other structures at the ancient city, stating that they were against their beliefs. Unesco condemned the destruction as a war crime.
Many historical objects were also lost or taken from historical locations and collections.
