Ancient Artifacts Removed from Syria's National Museum Located in Damascus
Ancient sculptures and other artefacts have been stolen from Syria's National Museum in Damascus, officials say.
The robbery was discovered on the start of the week, when staff allegedly found that a doorway had been damaged from the inside.
The multiple missing sculptures were marble creations and originated to the Roman period, a source told the news agency.
Syria's Directorate-General for Antiquities and Museums said it had launched a probe to establish the "details surrounding the theft of a collection of items", and that actions had been taken to strengthen protection and surveillance.
The chief of internal security in the capital area, General Osama Atkeh, was cited by the official media as stating that law enforcement were probing the theft, which he said had affected several "ancient sculptures and valuable objects".
He continued that guards at the museum and other persons were being interviewed.
The cultural institution, which was created in the early twentieth century, holds the primary cultural treasures in the country.
It features clay cuneiform tablets tracing back to the ancient era from Ugarit, where indications of the oldest known complete alphabet was discovered; Greco-Roman period Greco-Roman sculptures from the ancient city, one of the most important ancient sites of the ancient world; and a 3rd Century AD religious building that was built at an ancient location.
The institution was had to cease operations in the early 2010s, twelve months after the outbreak of the destructive conflict. Most of the artifacts was evacuated and kept at undisclosed sites to protect them.
It reopened partially in 2018 and resumed full operations in the beginning of the year, a month after opposition groups removed President Bashar al-Assad.
Every one of the country's cultural landmarks were damaged or significantly impacted during the conflict.
The IS organization blew up several temples and other structures at the archaeological site, asserting that they were un-Islamic. The cultural organization condemned the demolition as a war crime.
Countless cultural items were also lost or taken from dig sites and collections.
