Valuable Statues Removed from the National Museum Located in Damascus
Ancient sculptures and other artefacts have been taken from Syria's National Museum in the capital, officials say.
The burglary was discovered on Monday, when staff apparently found that one of the museum's doors had been damaged from the inside.
The half-dozen missing statues were crafted from marble and traced back to the ancient Roman times, an authority informed the news agency.
Syria's Directorate-General for Antiquities and Museums said it had launched a probe to determine the "details surrounding the loss of a number of artifacts", and that steps had been implemented to enhance protection and surveillance.
The director of domestic security in Damascus province, Security Chief Atkeh, was cited by the government press as stating that authorities were examining the theft, which he said had focused on several "archaeological statues and unique items".
He continued that security personnel at the museum and other individuals were being interviewed.
The Damascus Museum, which was established in 1919, houses the significant historical artifacts in Syria.
It contains clay cuneiform tablets tracing back to the Bronze Age from historical site, where indications of the earliest linguistic system was uncovered; early centuries CE classical statues from the ancient city, a significant historical locations of the ancient world; and a third century synagogue that was constructed at an ancient location.
The institution was compelled to shut in the early 2010s, one year after the beginning of the destructive conflict. The majority of the holdings was transferred and stored at secure places to protect them.
It partially resumed in 2018 and completely reopened in January 2025, one month after insurgents deposed the Assad regime.
All six of Syria's Unesco World Heritage sites were affected or partially destroyed during the civil war.
The Islamic State group demolished numerous ancient buildings and additional edifices at the archaeological site, stating that they were idolatrous. Unesco condemned the demolition as a violation.
Many artefacts were also lost or looted from archaeological sites and collections.
