Valuable Artifacts Stolen from Syria's National Museum Located in Damascus
Ancient statues and additional items have been removed from the National Museum of Syria in the capital, authorities report.
The theft was discovered on Monday, when staff apparently found that a doorway had been forced from the inside.
The six taken pieces were marble creations and originated to the Roman period, an authority stated to the media outlet.
Syria's Directorate-General for Antiquities and Museums said it had launched a probe to establish the "events surrounding the loss of a number of artifacts", and that steps had been taken to improve security and monitoring systems.
The chief of national security in the capital area, General Osama Atkeh, was referenced by the official media as stating that law enforcement were investigating the theft, which he said had focused on several "ancient sculptures and valuable objects".
He noted that museum protectors at the institution and other persons were being interviewed.
The Damascus Museum, which was created in the early twentieth century, contains the most important archaeological collection in the country.
It features historical records dating back to the Bronze Age from historical site, where evidence of the earliest writing system was uncovered; Greco-Roman period Greco-Roman sculptures from Palmyra, one of the most important ancient sites of the ancient world; and a 3rd Century AD Jewish temple that was constructed at an ancient location.
The facility was had to cease operations in the early 2010s, a year after the start of the destructive conflict. A large portion of the artifacts was transferred and preserved at undisclosed sites to safeguard them.
It partially resumed in 2018 and completely reopened in January 2025, one month after opposition groups removed the Assad regime.
Every one of Syria's Unesco World Heritage sites were affected or significantly impacted during the civil war.
The IS organization demolished numerous temples and additional edifices at the ancient city, claiming that they were against their beliefs. Unesco censured the destruction as a atrocity.
Countless historical objects were also lost or stolen from historical locations and museums.
