Ancient Statues Taken from the National Museum Located in Damascus
Historic sculptures and cultural objects have been taken from Syria's National Museum in the capital, officials say.
The robbery was discovered on Monday, when employees reportedly found that an entrance had been forced from the inside.
The multiple taken sculptures were made of marble and dated back to the Roman period, an authority told the media outlet.
Syria's Directorate-General for Antiquities and Museums said it had launched a probe to identify the "events surrounding the disappearance of a number of exhibits", and that actions had been enacted to improve security and surveillance.
The director of domestic security in the Damascus region, Security Chief Atkeh, was quoted by the state-run Sana news agency as stating that law enforcement were investigating the theft, which he said had targeted several "historical artifacts and rare collectibles".
He added that security personnel at the institution and other individuals were being interrogated.
The cultural institution, which was established in 1919, contains the most important archaeological collection in the country.
It contains ancient inscribed tablets dating back to the ancient era from historical site, where indications of the most ancient linguistic system was found; Greco-Roman period Greco-Roman sculptures from the ancient city, a significant cultural centres of the classical era; and a ancient religious building that was constructed at Dura Europos.
The institution was had to cease operations in the early 2010s, twelve months after the beginning of the destructive conflict. Most of the collection was evacuated and stored at secret locations to safeguard them.
It reopened partially in recent years and returned to normal in January 2025, one month after rebel forces removed Syria's former leader.
Every one of the country's cultural landmarks were damaged or partly ruined during the civil war.
The Islamic State group demolished several temples and additional edifices at Palmyra, stating that they were against their beliefs. International authorities denounced the demolition as a violation.
Many artefacts were also destroyed or taken from archaeological sites and museums.
