Historic Artifacts Stolen from the National Museum in Damascus
Valuable sculptures and cultural objects have been removed from Syria's National Museum in the capital, sources confirm.
The burglary was noticed on Monday, when museum workers apparently found that an entrance had been forced from the inside.
The multiple missing pieces were made of marble and traced back to the ancient Roman times, one official told the news agency.
Cultural heritage officials said it had initiated an inquiry to identify the "details surrounding the theft of a group of items", and that steps had been implemented to strengthen protection and surveillance.
The director of national security in the capital area, Security Chief Atkeh, was quoted by the government press as saying that security forces were investigating the theft, which he said had targeted several "ancient sculptures and rare collectibles".
He added that guards at the museum and other persons were being interrogated.
The Damascus Museum, which was created in the early twentieth century, holds the significant archaeological collection in Syria.
It includes clay cuneiform tablets tracing back to the ancient era from an ancient city, where indications of the oldest known linguistic system was uncovered; early centuries CE ancient art from the ancient city, among the foremost historical locations of the classical era; and a third century synagogue that was constructed at an ancient location.
The museum was forced to close in the early 2010s, a year after the start of the destructive conflict. Most of the collection was removed and kept at undisclosed sites to safeguard them.
It partially resumed in recent years and resumed full operations in the beginning of the year, one month after insurgents overthrew President Bashar al-Assad.
Each of the six of the country's cultural landmarks were damaged or significantly impacted during the conflict.
The militant faction demolished several ancient buildings and historical sites at the ancient city, claiming that they were idolatrous. The cultural organization denounced the destruction as a war crime.
Numerous artefacts were also lost or looted from dig sites and museums.
