Historic Sculptures Removed from Syria's National Museum Located in Damascus
Historic sculptures and additional items have been stolen from Syria's National Museum in the capital, sources confirm.
The robbery was discovered on the start of the week, when staff apparently found that an entrance had been forced from the interior.
The six stolen statues were made of marble and originated to the ancient Roman times, an authority informed the news agency.
Cultural heritage officials said it had launched a probe to establish the "events surrounding the disappearance of a group of exhibits", and that steps had been taken to strengthen safeguarding and surveillance.
The head of internal security in the capital area, Brig-Gen Osama Atkeh, was quoted by the official media as stating that law enforcement were examining the robbery, which he said had affected several "archaeological statues and valuable objects".
He noted that guards at the institution and additional people were being questioned.
The Damascus Museum, which was established in the early twentieth century, houses the primary cultural treasures in the country.
It features historical records tracing back to the ancient era from Ugarit, where indications of the oldest known complete alphabet was discovered; 1st and 2nd Century AD classical statues from the ancient city, one of the most important ancient sites of the classical era; and a 3rd Century AD religious building that was established at an ancient location.
The museum was forced to close in the early 2010s, a year after the beginning of the internal strife. A large portion of the collection was removed and preserved at undisclosed sites to protect them.
It partially resumed in 2018 and returned to normal in January 2025, one month after opposition groups overthrew the Assad regime.
Every one of the country's cultural landmarks were affected or significantly impacted during the internal struggle.
The militant faction blew up multiple temples and historical sites at Palmyra, stating that they were un-Islamic. International authorities censured the destruction as a war crime.
Many historical objects were also destroyed or taken from historical locations and museums.
