Ancient Artifacts Removed from Syria's National Museum Located in Damascus
Ancient sculptures and additional items have been removed from the National Museum of Syria in the capital, authorities report.
The theft was discovered on Monday, when employees reportedly found that an entrance had been damaged from the inside.
The six taken sculptures were marble creations and traced back to the Roman period, a source stated to the media outlet.
Cultural heritage officials said it had opened an investigation to determine the "details surrounding the loss of a number of items", and that actions had been implemented to improve safeguarding and monitoring systems.
The director of national security in the Damascus region, General Osama Atkeh, was quoted by the state-run Sana news agency as stating that security forces were probing the incident, which he said had affected several "archaeological statues and valuable objects".
He continued that museum protectors at the facility and other persons were being questioned.
The National Museum, which was founded in the early twentieth century, contains the most important cultural treasures in the country.
It features historical records tracing back to the 14th Century BC from Ugarit, where evidence of the most ancient writing system was uncovered; 1st and 2nd Century AD Greco-Roman sculptures from the ancient city, one of the most important ancient sites of the classical era; and a 3rd Century AD religious building that was built at an ancient location.
The institution was had to cease operations in the early 2010s, one year after the outbreak of the internal strife. A large portion of the artifacts was removed and stored at secret locations to ensure their safety.
It began limited operations in 2018 and returned to normal in early this year, one month after rebel forces deposed Syria's former leader.
Every one of the country's cultural landmarks were harmed or significantly impacted during the internal struggle.
The IS organization demolished several ancient buildings and historical sites at Palmyra, asserting that they were against their beliefs. The cultural organization denounced the demolition as a violation.
Numerous historical objects were also damaged or stolen from archaeological sites and cultural institutions.