Historic Statues Removed from Syria's National Museum Located in Damascus
Historic statues and cultural objects have been stolen from the National Museum of Syria in Damascus, authorities report.
The burglary was found on the start of the week, when staff apparently found that one of the museum's doors had been forced from the inside.
The half-dozen stolen sculptures were made of marble and traced back to the Roman era, one official informed the news agency.
The nation's antiquities authority said it had opened an investigation to establish the "circumstances surrounding the loss of a group of items", and that actions had been taken to enhance security and observation methods.
The chief of internal security in the Damascus region, Brig-Gen Osama Atkeh, was quoted by the official media as stating that law enforcement were investigating the robbery, which he said had focused on several "archaeological statues and rare collectibles".
He continued that museum protectors at the institution and other individuals were being interrogated.
The National Museum, which was established in the early twentieth century, contains the significant archaeological collection in Syria.
It contains clay cuneiform tablets dating back to the ancient era from an ancient city, where indications of the most ancient writing system was uncovered; early centuries CE ancient art from Palmyra, one of the most important ancient sites of the ancient world; and a ancient religious building that was built at another archaeological site.
The institution was compelled to shut in 2012, twelve months after the beginning of the destructive conflict. Most of the collection was evacuated and preserved at secret locations to ensure their safety.
It reopened partially in recent years and returned to normal in early this year, four weeks after insurgents deposed Syria's former leader.
Each of the six of Syria's Unesco World Heritage sites were harmed or partially destroyed during the internal struggle.
The Islamic State group blew up multiple temples and other structures at the ancient city, claiming that they were un-Islamic. International authorities censured the damage as a atrocity.
Countless cultural items were also destroyed or looted from historical locations and collections.
