Valuable Statues Stolen from the National Museum in Damascus
Valuable artifacts and additional items have been removed from Syria's National Museum in Damascus, authorities report.
The theft was found on Monday, when employees allegedly found that a doorway had been forced from the interior.
The six stolen statues were crafted from marble and dated back to the Roman era, a source informed the Associated Press.
Syria's Directorate-General for Antiquities and Museums said it had launched a probe to establish the "circumstances surrounding the loss of a group of exhibits", and that actions had been enacted to enhance safeguarding and monitoring systems.
The chief of national security in the Damascus region, Security Chief Atkeh, was referenced by the state-run Sana news agency as declaring that law enforcement were probing the robbery, which he said had affected several "archaeological statues and unique items".
He noted that guards at the museum and other individuals were being interviewed.
The cultural institution, which was established in the early twentieth century, contains the significant historical artifacts in Syria.
It features historical records tracing back to the 14th Century BC from historical site, where evidence of the earliest writing system was discovered; 1st and 2nd Century AD ancient art from the ancient city, a significant cultural centres of the ancient world; and a ancient Jewish temple that was built at Dura Europos.
The facility was had to cease operations in 2012, one year after the outbreak of the devastating civil war. Most of the artifacts was removed and stored at undisclosed sites to safeguard them.
It began limited operations in 2018 and completely reopened in January 2025, a month after insurgents removed the Assad regime.
Every one of Syria's Unesco World Heritage sites were harmed or partially destroyed during the civil war.
The Islamic State group destroyed several temples and additional edifices at Palmyra, stating that they were against their beliefs. International authorities denounced the destruction as a war crime.
Many artefacts were also lost or stolen from historical locations and museums.
