Ancient Sculptures Removed from the National Museum in Damascus
Valuable statues and other artefacts have been removed from the National Museum of Syria in Damascus, sources confirm.
The theft was discovered on the start of the week, when employees allegedly found that an entrance had been damaged from the interior.
The half-dozen taken statues were marble creations and traced back to the ancient Roman times, a source informed the media outlet.
The nation's antiquities authority said it had opened an investigation to establish the "details surrounding the theft of a group of exhibits", and that measures had been taken to enhance safeguarding and surveillance.
The director of national security in the Damascus region, Security Chief Atkeh, was cited by the government press as saying that security forces were examining the theft, which he said had targeted several "ancient sculptures and rare collectibles".
He continued that security personnel at the institution and other persons were being interviewed.
The cultural institution, which was founded in 1919, contains the most important cultural treasures in the country.
It includes historical records tracing back to the Bronze Age from an ancient city, where evidence 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 historical period; and a ancient synagogue that was constructed at an ancient location.
The museum was compelled to shut in 2012, a year after the start of the devastating civil war. Most of the holdings was removed and stored at secure places to safeguard them.
It reopened partially in 2018 and returned to normal in the beginning of the year, a month after opposition groups removed Syria's former leader.
Every one of nationally recognized sites were affected or significantly impacted during the conflict.
The IS organization demolished several religious structures and other structures at the ancient city, asserting that they were idolatrous. The cultural organization condemned the damage as a war crime.
Numerous artefacts were also damaged or stolen from dig sites and collections.
