Historic Statues Removed from the National Museum Located in Damascus
Historic sculptures and cultural objects have been taken from the National Museum of Syria in the capital, sources confirm.
The robbery was noticed on Monday, when staff allegedly found that a doorway had been damaged from the inside.
The six stolen pieces were made of marble and dated back to the Roman era, an authority told the Associated Press.
The nation's antiquities authority said it had initiated an inquiry to establish the "events surrounding the disappearance of a collection of artifacts", and that measures had been implemented to enhance safeguarding and monitoring systems.
The head of national security in the Damascus region, General Osama Atkeh, was referenced by the state-run Sana news agency as saying that authorities were examining the theft, which he said had affected several "historical artifacts and unique items".
He noted that security personnel at the facility and other individuals were being questioned.
The Damascus Museum, which was created in the early twentieth century, houses the primary historical artifacts in the country.
It includes clay cuneiform tablets dating back to the Bronze Age from Ugarit, where indications of the oldest known linguistic system was found; early centuries CE ancient art from Palmyra, one of the most important ancient sites of the classical era; and a 3rd Century AD Jewish temple that was established at an ancient location.
The museum was had to cease operations in the early 2010s, one year after the beginning of the internal strife. The majority of the artifacts was removed and stored at undisclosed sites to safeguard them.
It reopened partially in recent years and completely reopened in January 2025, one month after insurgents removed President Bashar al-Assad.
Each of the six of the country's cultural landmarks were damaged or significantly impacted during the civil war.
The Islamic State group demolished several religious structures and historical sites at Palmyra, asserting that they were un-Islamic. International authorities censured the damage as a atrocity.
Many cultural items were also lost or taken from historical locations and museums.
