Ancient Artifacts Taken from Syria's National Museum Located in Damascus
Ancient artifacts and other artefacts have been removed from the National Museum of Syria in the capital, officials say.
The burglary was found on the start of the week, when staff apparently found that an entrance had been forced from the inside.
The multiple taken statues were marble creations and traced back to the ancient Roman times, a source stated to the Associated Press.
Syria's Directorate-General for Antiquities and Museums said it had opened an investigation to establish the "circumstances surrounding the loss of a number of artifacts", and that actions had been taken to enhance security and monitoring systems.
The head of national security in the Damascus region, Security Chief Atkeh, was cited by the government press as declaring that law enforcement were examining the theft, which he said had affected several "archaeological statues and unique items".
He continued that security personnel at the museum and other persons were being questioned.
The Damascus Museum, which was created in the early twentieth century, houses the primary cultural treasures in the country.
It features clay cuneiform tablets tracing back to the Bronze Age from Ugarit, where indications of the earliest writing system was found; Greco-Roman period Greco-Roman sculptures from the ancient city, one of the most important cultural centres of the historical period; and a third century synagogue that was built at another archaeological site.
The facility was forced to close in 2012, a year after the beginning of the destructive conflict. A large portion of the holdings was removed and preserved at secret locations to safeguard them.
It partially resumed in 2018 and resumed full operations in the beginning of the year, one month after rebel forces overthrew the Assad regime.
Every one of the country's cultural landmarks were harmed or partially destroyed during the conflict.
The Islamic State group destroyed numerous religious structures and other structures at the archaeological site, claiming that they were idolatrous. Unesco condemned the demolition as a violation.
Countless cultural items were also destroyed or stolen from archaeological sites and collections.
