Historic Statues Stolen from Syria's National Museum Located in Damascus
Valuable statues and other artefacts have been stolen from the National Museum of Syria in the capital, sources confirm.
The burglary was discovered on Monday, when staff reportedly found that a doorway had been broken from the inside.
The half-dozen taken sculptures were made of marble and traced back to the Roman period, one official stated to the media outlet.
Cultural heritage officials said it had initiated an inquiry to determine the "circumstances surrounding the disappearance of a number of exhibits", and that steps had been taken to improve safeguarding and monitoring systems.
The director of domestic security in the capital area, Security Chief Atkeh, was cited by the state-run Sana news agency as stating that law enforcement were probing the robbery, which he said had affected several "historical artifacts and valuable objects".
He added that security personnel at the institution and other individuals were being interrogated.
The cultural institution, which was founded in 1919, houses the primary historical artifacts in the country.
It contains clay cuneiform tablets dating back to the ancient era from Ugarit, where evidence of the most ancient writing system was discovered; early centuries CE Greco-Roman sculptures from the ancient city, one of the most important cultural centres of the classical era; and a 3rd Century AD synagogue that was established at an ancient location.
The facility was compelled to shut in the early 2010s, a year after the start of the internal strife. The majority of the artifacts was transferred and stored at undisclosed sites to protect them.
It began limited operations in recent years and returned to normal in the beginning of the year, a month after rebel forces deposed President Bashar al-Assad.
Every one of nationally recognized sites were affected or partially destroyed during the conflict.
The IS organization demolished numerous temples and additional edifices at Palmyra, asserting that they were un-Islamic. Unesco censured the demolition as a violation.
Numerous historical objects were also destroyed or looted from archaeological sites and museums.
