Historic Sculptures Stolen from the National Museum Located in Damascus
Valuable statues and additional items have been stolen from the National Museum of Syria in the capital, sources confirm.
The burglary 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 stolen statues were made of marble and dated back to the ancient Roman times, a source told the Associated Press.
Cultural heritage officials said it had initiated an inquiry to determine the "circumstances surrounding the disappearance of a group of artifacts", and that actions had been enacted to improve protection and observation methods.
The director of domestic security in Damascus province, Brig-Gen Osama Atkeh, was referenced by the state-run Sana news agency as declaring that security forces were investigating the theft, which he said had focused on several "ancient sculptures and unique items".
He added that guards at the facility and other individuals were being interrogated.
The Damascus Museum, which was founded in the early twentieth century, contains the most important archaeological collection in Syria.
It includes historical records dating back to the ancient era from historical site, where proof of the most ancient linguistic system was found; Greco-Roman period Greco-Roman sculptures from the ancient city, a significant cultural centres of the ancient world; and a 3rd Century AD Jewish temple that was established at Dura Europos.
The museum was compelled to shut in 2012, a year after the beginning of the destructive conflict. A large portion of the holdings was evacuated and preserved at secure places to safeguard them.
It reopened partially in recent years and completely reopened in the beginning of the year, four weeks after opposition groups overthrew President Bashar al-Assad.
Every one of the country's cultural landmarks were damaged or partially destroyed during the civil war.
The militant faction demolished numerous religious structures and historical sites at Palmyra, claiming that they were un-Islamic. Unesco denounced the demolition as a war crime.
Many artefacts were also lost or stolen from dig sites and cultural institutions.
