Historic Sculptures Removed from Syria's National Museum Located in Damascus
Ancient sculptures and additional items have been taken from the National Museum of Syria in the capital, officials say.
The robbery was found on Monday, when museum workers reportedly found that one of the museum's doors had been forced from the inside.
The half-dozen stolen sculptures were marble creations and originated to the Roman era, a source stated to the news agency.
Syria's Directorate-General for Antiquities and Museums said it had initiated an inquiry to identify the "events surrounding the theft of a number of artifacts", and that actions had been taken to strengthen security and observation methods.
The head of domestic security in the capital area, General Osama Atkeh, was cited by the government press as saying that authorities were examining the theft, which he said had focused on several "archaeological statues and valuable objects".
He noted that guards at the facility and other persons were being questioned.
The Damascus Museum, which was founded in the early twentieth century, contains the most important cultural treasures in Syria.
It includes historical records tracing back to the Bronze Age from an ancient city, where evidence of the oldest known complete alphabet was found; early centuries CE classical statues from historical site, a significant ancient sites of the historical period; and a 3rd Century AD Jewish temple that was constructed at an ancient location.
The facility was forced to close in 2012, a year after the beginning of the destructive conflict. Most of the artifacts was transferred and stored at undisclosed sites to ensure their safety.
It reopened partially in recent years and resumed full operations in early this year, four weeks after rebel forces overthrew the Assad regime.
Each of the six of Syria's Unesco World Heritage sites were damaged or significantly impacted during the civil war.
The IS organization destroyed multiple temples and additional edifices at the ancient city, asserting that they were un-Islamic. Unesco denounced the damage as a violation.
Numerous cultural items were also lost or looted from archaeological sites and museums.
