Ancient Sculptures Stolen from the National Museum in Damascus
Historic sculptures and additional items have been stolen from Syria's National Museum in Damascus, authorities report.
The theft was noticed on Monday, when museum workers apparently found that an entrance had been forced from the interior.
The multiple missing sculptures were crafted from marble and traced back to the Roman era, an authority informed the media outlet.
The nation's antiquities authority said it had opened an investigation to identify the "circumstances surrounding the loss of a group of exhibits", and that measures had been taken to enhance security and monitoring systems.
The head of national security in the capital area, General Osama Atkeh, was quoted by the government press as stating that authorities were examining the theft, which he said had affected several "historical artifacts and unique items".
He noted that guards at the institution and other individuals were being questioned.
The Damascus Museum, which was founded in 1919, houses the most important historical artifacts in the country.
It features ancient inscribed tablets dating back to the Bronze Age from historical site, where evidence of the oldest known linguistic system was discovered; early centuries CE ancient art from Palmyra, one of the most important ancient sites of the classical era; and a ancient religious building that was built at an ancient location.
The institution was compelled to shut in the early 2010s, twelve months after the start of the devastating civil war. Most of the holdings was removed and kept at undisclosed sites to ensure their safety.
It began limited operations in 2018 and returned to normal in January 2025, four weeks after rebel forces removed the Assad regime.
Every one of nationally recognized sites were harmed or significantly impacted during the conflict.
The IS organization demolished several ancient buildings and additional edifices at the archaeological site, claiming that they were against their beliefs. Unesco censured the destruction as a violation.
Countless artefacts were also lost or stolen from dig sites and cultural institutions.