Ancient Artifacts Taken from the National Museum in Damascus
Ancient statues and cultural objects have been taken from the National Museum of Syria in Damascus, authorities report.
The robbery was discovered on the start of the week, when employees allegedly found that one of the museum's doors had been damaged from the interior.
The multiple stolen pieces were crafted from marble and originated to the ancient Roman times, one official informed the news agency.
The nation's antiquities authority said it had initiated an inquiry to determine the "details surrounding the loss of a number of exhibits", and that steps had been taken to improve security and monitoring systems.
The chief of internal security in the capital area, General Osama Atkeh, was cited by the official media as declaring that law enforcement were investigating the theft, which he said had targeted several "ancient sculptures and rare collectibles".
He noted that guards at the institution and additional people were being interrogated.
The Damascus Museum, which was created in 1919, houses the significant archaeological collection in the country.
It contains historical records dating back to the Bronze Age from an ancient city, where proof of the earliest linguistic system was uncovered; 1st and 2nd Century AD classical statues from Palmyra, one of the most important cultural centres of the classical era; and a third century synagogue that was constructed at another archaeological site.
The museum was compelled to shut in 2012, a year after the start of the devastating civil war. A large portion of the holdings was evacuated and stored at secure places to ensure their safety.
It began limited operations in recent years and resumed full operations in January 2025, a month after insurgents overthrew President Bashar al-Assad.
Every one of Syria's Unesco World Heritage sites were harmed or significantly impacted during the civil war.
The IS organization demolished multiple ancient buildings and other structures at the ancient city, asserting that they were against their beliefs. The cultural organization censured the damage as a war crime.
Countless artefacts were also destroyed or looted from dig sites and collections.
