Valuable Sculptures Taken from Syria's National Museum Located in Damascus
Historic artifacts and cultural objects have been taken from the National Museum of Syria in the capital, authorities report.
The burglary was discovered on Monday, when staff reportedly found that a doorway had been forced from the inside.
The half-dozen missing pieces were marble creations and dated back to the ancient Roman times, an authority told the Associated Press.
Cultural heritage officials said it had launched a probe to identify the "details surrounding the disappearance of a collection of artifacts", and that actions had been enacted to improve security and surveillance.
The chief of domestic security in the Damascus region, General Osama Atkeh, was referenced by the government press as stating that security forces were probing the theft, which he said had affected several "ancient sculptures and unique items".
He continued that guards at the facility and additional people were being questioned.
The cultural institution, which was created in 1919, houses the significant historical artifacts in Syria.
It contains clay cuneiform tablets tracing back to the 14th Century BC from an ancient city, where evidence of the earliest linguistic system was found; early centuries CE classical statues from Palmyra, among the foremost cultural centres of the historical period; and a 3rd Century AD Jewish temple that was built at Dura Europos.
The museum was compelled to shut in the early 2010s, a year after the beginning of the devastating civil war. A large portion of the collection was removed and preserved at secret locations to ensure their safety.
It partially resumed in 2018 and completely reopened in January 2025, four weeks after rebel forces removed President Bashar al-Assad.
All six of nationally recognized sites were damaged or partly ruined during the conflict.
The Islamic State group destroyed multiple ancient buildings and other structures at Palmyra, claiming that they were against their beliefs. The cultural organization denounced the destruction as a war crime.
Numerous artefacts were also lost or taken from archaeological sites and collections.
