Ancient Sculptures Stolen from the National Museum in Damascus
Valuable sculptures and additional items have been stolen from the National Museum of Syria in Damascus, authorities report.
The burglary was found on the start of the week, when museum workers apparently found that one of the museum's doors had been forced from the interior.
The half-dozen stolen sculptures were crafted from marble and originated to the ancient Roman times, one official told the news agency.
The nation's antiquities authority said it had launched a probe to establish the "circumstances surrounding the disappearance of a collection of artifacts", and that steps had been enacted to enhance safeguarding and monitoring systems.
The director of domestic security in the capital area, Brig-Gen Osama Atkeh, was quoted by the government press as saying that authorities were investigating the theft, which he said had targeted several "historical artifacts and unique items".
He added that security personnel at the institution and other persons were being questioned.
The cultural institution, which was founded in 1919, contains the significant cultural treasures in the country.
It includes historical records originating to the 14th Century BC from historical site, where indications of the earliest complete alphabet was uncovered; Greco-Roman period classical statues from historical site, one of the most important historical locations of the ancient world; and a 3rd Century AD synagogue that was constructed at an ancient location.
The institution was had to cease operations in the early 2010s, one year after the outbreak of the internal strife. A large portion of the collection was removed and preserved at undisclosed sites to safeguard them.
It began limited operations in 2018 and completely reopened in early this year, four weeks after insurgents overthrew the Assad regime.
Each of the six of Syria's Unesco World Heritage sites were affected or partially destroyed during the internal struggle.
The Islamic State group destroyed numerous ancient buildings and additional edifices at the archaeological site, asserting that they were un-Islamic. Unesco censured the demolition as a war crime.
Countless artefacts were also destroyed or taken from historical locations and cultural institutions.
