Historic Statues Removed from Syria's National Museum Located in Damascus
Historic sculptures and other artefacts have been removed from Syria's National Museum in the capital, sources confirm.
The burglary was found on Monday, when employees allegedly found that one of the museum's doors had been damaged from the interior.
The six taken pieces were made of marble and dated back to the ancient Roman times, a source stated to the media outlet.
Syria's Directorate-General for Antiquities and Museums said it had launched a probe to determine the "circumstances surrounding the disappearance of a number of items", and that steps had been enacted to enhance protection and monitoring systems.
The head of internal security in the Damascus region, General Osama Atkeh, was quoted by the official media as saying that security forces were examining the incident, which he said had affected several "archaeological statues and valuable objects".
He continued that security personnel at the institution and additional people were being interviewed.
The National Museum, which was founded in 1919, houses the primary historical artifacts in the country.
It contains clay cuneiform tablets originating to the 14th Century BC from historical site, where evidence of the oldest known linguistic system was found; Greco-Roman period ancient art from the ancient city, among the foremost ancient sites of the historical period; and a ancient religious building that was constructed at Dura Europos.
The museum was forced to close in the early 2010s, a year after the outbreak of the internal strife. A large portion of the holdings was transferred and stored at secure places to ensure their safety.
It began limited operations in recent years and resumed full operations in January 2025, a month after rebel forces deposed President Bashar al-Assad.
Every one of nationally recognized sites were affected or partially destroyed during the internal struggle.
The Islamic State group demolished multiple ancient buildings and historical sites at the ancient city, claiming that they were idolatrous. International authorities condemned the damage as a war crime.
Countless historical objects were also damaged or taken from historical locations and cultural institutions.
