Valuable Artifacts Stolen from the National Museum Located in Damascus
Historic statues and cultural objects have been removed from Syria's National Museum in the capital, sources confirm.
The robbery was discovered on Monday, when staff allegedly found that a doorway had been damaged from the inside.
The multiple taken sculptures were crafted from marble and dated back to the ancient Roman times, a source told the news agency.
Syria's Directorate-General for Antiquities and Museums said it had initiated an inquiry to determine the "circumstances surrounding the disappearance of a number of exhibits", and that steps had been taken to improve security and surveillance.
The chief of domestic security in the capital area, Brig-Gen Osama Atkeh, was cited by the government press as declaring that authorities were investigating the incident, which he said had targeted several "ancient sculptures and rare collectibles".
He added that museum protectors at the museum and additional people were being interrogated.
The National Museum, which was created in the early twentieth century, houses the primary cultural treasures in the country.
It contains historical records tracing back to the 14th Century BC from an ancient city, where indications of the earliest linguistic system was uncovered; early centuries CE Greco-Roman sculptures from the ancient city, a significant cultural centres of the classical era; and a third century Jewish temple that was constructed at Dura Europos.
The museum was had to cease operations in the early 2010s, twelve months after the outbreak of the internal strife. Most of the collection was transferred and stored at secret locations to protect them.
It began limited operations in recent years and resumed full operations in early this year, one month after insurgents overthrew the Assad regime.
All six of Syria's Unesco World Heritage sites were affected or partially destroyed during the civil war.
The IS organization demolished multiple temples and other structures at the ancient city, asserting that they were against their beliefs. International authorities condemned the damage as a atrocity.
Countless historical objects were also damaged or stolen from archaeological sites and cultural institutions.
