Valuable Statues Taken from Syria's National Museum in Damascus
Valuable statues and additional items have been removed from the National Museum of Syria in Damascus, sources confirm.
The burglary was found on Monday, when employees reportedly found that one of the museum's doors had been broken from the inside.
The half-dozen stolen statues were marble creations and originated to the Roman era, a source told the Associated Press.
The nation's antiquities authority said it had initiated an inquiry to identify the "events surrounding the loss of a group of items", and that measures had been implemented to improve protection and observation methods.
The chief of domestic security in the capital area, Brig-Gen Osama Atkeh, was cited by the government press as declaring that security forces were investigating the incident, which he said had targeted several "archaeological statues and unique items".
He added that guards at the institution and other persons were being interviewed.
The National Museum, which was founded in the early twentieth century, holds the most important cultural treasures in Syria.
It includes ancient inscribed tablets dating back to the 14th Century BC from historical site, where indications of the earliest complete alphabet was found; early centuries CE classical statues from Palmyra, one of the most important historical locations of the ancient world; and a ancient synagogue that was established at an ancient location.
The facility was forced to close in 2012, one year after the outbreak of the destructive conflict. A large portion of the collection was removed and kept at undisclosed sites to protect them.
It partially resumed in recent years and returned to normal in January 2025, one month after rebel forces deposed Syria's former leader.
Every one of Syria's Unesco World Heritage sites were harmed or significantly impacted during the conflict.
The Islamic State group demolished several religious structures and additional edifices at the archaeological site, claiming that they were idolatrous. International authorities censured the demolition as a war crime.
Countless artefacts were also damaged or stolen from historical locations and collections.
