Ancient Sculptures Stolen from Syria's National Museum Located in Damascus
Historic statues and other artefacts have been taken from the National Museum of Syria in Damascus, officials say.
The robbery was found on the start of the week, when employees apparently found that a doorway had been damaged from the inside.
The six missing pieces were crafted from marble and traced back to the Roman era, a source told the media outlet.
Cultural heritage officials said it had launched a probe to determine the "events surrounding the loss of a number of exhibits", and that steps had been implemented to enhance safeguarding and surveillance.
The head of internal security in Damascus province, Brig-Gen Osama Atkeh, was referenced by the state-run Sana news agency as stating that law enforcement were probing the robbery, which he said had focused on several "archaeological statues and rare collectibles".
He noted that security personnel at the museum and additional people were being questioned.
The Damascus Museum, which was established in the early twentieth century, contains the most important historical artifacts in Syria.
It features historical records dating back to the Bronze Age from historical site, where proof of the most ancient complete alphabet was discovered; Greco-Roman period ancient art from Palmyra, among the foremost historical locations of the classical era; and a 3rd Century AD synagogue that was built at an ancient location.
The facility was forced to close in the early 2010s, one year after the outbreak of the devastating civil war. Most of the artifacts was transferred and kept at secure places to protect them.
It reopened partially in 2018 and returned to normal in early this year, four weeks after rebel forces removed President Bashar al-Assad.
All six of nationally recognized sites were harmed or partly ruined during the internal struggle.
The IS organization demolished multiple ancient buildings and additional edifices at Palmyra, asserting that they were idolatrous. The cultural organization censured the destruction as a violation.
Numerous historical objects were also destroyed or looted from dig sites and cultural institutions.
