Valuable Sculptures Removed from Syria's National Museum Located in Damascus
Historic statues and additional items have been stolen from the National Museum of Syria in Damascus, authorities report.
The theft was found on the start of the week, when employees apparently found that a doorway had been damaged from the inside.
The six taken statues were crafted from marble and dated back to the Roman era, one official told the Associated Press.
Cultural heritage officials said it had launched a probe to determine the "events surrounding the theft of a group of exhibits", and that measures had been enacted to enhance security and monitoring systems.
The chief of domestic security in Damascus province, General Osama Atkeh, was cited by the state-run Sana news agency as declaring that authorities were investigating the incident, which he said had targeted several "historical artifacts and unique items".
He continued that security personnel at the institution and other individuals were being interviewed.
The cultural institution, which was founded in 1919, houses the most important cultural treasures in Syria.
It includes historical records dating back to the ancient era from an ancient city, where evidence of the oldest known linguistic system was uncovered; 1st and 2nd Century AD Greco-Roman sculptures from Palmyra, one of the most important historical locations of the ancient world; and a third century synagogue that was built at an ancient location.
The facility was had to cease operations in 2012, one year after the start of the internal strife. A large portion of the artifacts was evacuated and stored at secret locations to protect them.
It reopened partially in 2018 and returned to normal in January 2025, four weeks after rebel forces removed the Assad regime.
All six of Syria's Unesco World Heritage sites were affected or partly ruined during the conflict.
The IS organization blew up multiple temples and historical sites at the ancient city, asserting that they were against their beliefs. International authorities condemned the demolition as a atrocity.
Countless artefacts were also damaged or stolen from historical locations and collections.