Ancient Sculptures Taken from the National Museum Located in Damascus
Valuable artifacts and cultural objects have been removed from the National Museum of Syria in Damascus, sources confirm.
The robbery was noticed on Monday, when employees allegedly found that a doorway had been damaged from the inside.
The multiple taken pieces were marble creations and traced back to the Roman era, one official told the news agency.
The nation's antiquities authority said it had opened an investigation to identify the "events surrounding the theft of a collection of items", and that actions had been implemented to strengthen security and surveillance.
The chief of internal security in the capital area, Security Chief Atkeh, was cited by the government press as declaring that security forces were investigating the theft, which he said had focused on several "ancient sculptures and rare collectibles".
He continued that security personnel at the facility and additional people were being interviewed.
The Damascus Museum, which was established in 1919, contains the primary archaeological collection in the country.
It contains ancient inscribed tablets originating to the ancient era from an ancient city, where proof of the oldest known linguistic system was discovered; early centuries CE classical statues from the ancient city, a significant cultural centres of the ancient world; and a third century Jewish temple that was established at another archaeological site.
The institution was forced to close in the early 2010s, one year after the start of the destructive conflict. A large portion of the holdings was evacuated and preserved at secure places to safeguard them.
It began limited operations in 2018 and resumed full operations in January 2025, one month after rebel forces removed Syria's former leader.
Every one of the country's cultural landmarks were damaged or partially destroyed during the civil war.
The militant faction destroyed multiple religious structures and historical sites at the ancient city, stating that they were idolatrous. Unesco censured the demolition as a war crime.
Numerous historical objects were also damaged or stolen from historical locations and collections.
