Valuable Sculptures Taken from the National Museum Located in Damascus
Valuable statues and cultural objects have been stolen from the National Museum of Syria in Damascus, sources confirm.
The burglary was found on the start of the week, when staff allegedly found that a doorway had been forced from the interior.
The six stolen pieces were made of marble and traced back to the Roman era, one official informed the media outlet.
The nation's antiquities authority said it had initiated an inquiry to establish the "circumstances surrounding the theft of a collection of artifacts", and that measures had been enacted to strengthen security and surveillance.
The chief of internal security in Damascus province, Security Chief Atkeh, was cited by the state-run Sana news agency as saying that law enforcement were examining the theft, which he said had targeted several "ancient sculptures and unique items".
He added that guards at the facility and additional people were being interrogated.
The Damascus Museum, which was established in 1919, contains the primary historical artifacts in Syria.
It contains ancient inscribed tablets dating back to the Bronze Age from historical site, where indications of the most ancient linguistic system was found; early centuries CE classical statues from Palmyra, one of the most important ancient sites of the ancient world; and a third century religious building that was established at Dura Europos.
The institution was compelled to shut in the early 2010s, twelve months after the outbreak of the destructive conflict. Most of the holdings was transferred and stored at undisclosed sites to ensure their safety.
It partially resumed in recent years and resumed full operations in January 2025, one month after opposition groups overthrew the Assad regime.
Each of the six of nationally recognized sites were damaged or significantly impacted during the internal struggle.
The militant faction destroyed multiple temples and historical sites at Palmyra, asserting that they were against their beliefs. The cultural organization censured the damage as a atrocity.
Many artefacts were also damaged or taken from dig sites and collections.
