Historic Sculptures Removed from the National Museum Located in Damascus
Ancient artifacts and other artefacts have been removed from the National Museum of Syria in Damascus, officials say.
The burglary was discovered on Monday, when staff reportedly found that a doorway had been damaged from the interior.
The multiple missing statues were made of marble and dated back to the Roman era, a source informed the news agency.
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 measures had been enacted to improve protection and observation methods.
The head of national security in Damascus province, Security Chief Atkeh, was quoted by the official media as saying that authorities were examining the theft, which he said had affected several "historical artifacts and valuable objects".
He added that security personnel at the museum and other persons were being questioned.
The cultural institution, which was established in 1919, holds the significant archaeological collection in the country.
It contains historical records originating to the 14th Century BC from historical site, where proof of the earliest writing system was found; 1st and 2nd Century AD classical statues from historical site, one of the most important historical locations of the classical era; and a ancient religious building that was built at Dura Europos.
The facility was had to cease operations in the early 2010s, a year after the outbreak of the destructive conflict. A large portion of the collection was evacuated and stored at secure places to ensure their safety.
It partially resumed in recent years and resumed full operations in January 2025, a month after opposition groups deposed the Assad regime.
Every one of Syria's Unesco World Heritage sites were harmed or partly ruined during the civil war.
The militant faction demolished multiple ancient buildings and additional edifices at Palmyra, claiming that they were idolatrous. International authorities censured the damage as a war crime.
Many artefacts were also destroyed or looted from historical locations and museums.
