Historic Artifacts Taken from the National Museum Located in Damascus
Valuable artifacts and additional items have been taken from Syria's National Museum in Damascus, officials say.
The robbery was noticed on the start of the week, when museum workers allegedly found that a doorway had been broken from the interior.
The half-dozen taken statues were made of marble and dated back to the Roman era, a source stated to the news agency.
Cultural heritage officials said it had initiated an inquiry to establish the "circumstances surrounding the theft of a number of items", and that steps had been enacted to enhance protection and observation methods.
The director of internal security in Damascus province, Security Chief Atkeh, was quoted by the state-run Sana news agency as declaring that security forces were probing the robbery, which he said had affected several "archaeological statues and unique items".
He continued that guards at the institution and other persons were being interviewed.
The National Museum, which was established in 1919, contains the significant archaeological collection in the country.
It contains historical records originating to the Bronze Age from Ugarit, where evidence of the most ancient writing system was uncovered; early centuries CE ancient art from historical site, a significant historical locations of the classical era; and a third century Jewish temple that was established at Dura Europos.
The facility was had to cease operations in 2012, twelve months after the beginning of the internal strife. Most of the holdings was transferred and kept at secret locations to ensure their safety.
It reopened partially in 2018 and completely reopened in the beginning of the year, one month after rebel forces overthrew the Assad regime.
All six of nationally recognized sites were harmed or partly ruined during the civil war.
The militant faction demolished several ancient buildings and other structures at the ancient city, claiming that they were against their beliefs. The cultural organization condemned the damage as a violation.
Many cultural items were also lost or stolen from historical locations and cultural institutions.
