Valuable Sculptures Removed from the National Museum Located in Damascus
Valuable statues and additional items have been stolen from Syria's National Museum in the capital, sources confirm.
The burglary was noticed on the start of the week, when staff allegedly found that a doorway had been broken from the inside.
The half-dozen stolen statues were marble creations and dated back to the Roman era, an authority informed the Associated Press.
Syria's Directorate-General for Antiquities and Museums said it had initiated an inquiry to identify the "details surrounding the loss of a collection of exhibits", and that measures had been taken to strengthen protection and monitoring systems.
The head of national security in the capital area, Brig-Gen Osama Atkeh, was quoted by the government press as stating that authorities were examining the theft, which he said had targeted several "historical artifacts and valuable objects".
He continued that security personnel at the museum and additional people were being interrogated.
The National Museum, which was established in 1919, houses the significant historical artifacts in Syria.
It contains historical records dating back to the 14th Century BC from an ancient city, where evidence of the most ancient complete alphabet was discovered; early centuries CE classical statues from Palmyra, a significant cultural centres of the ancient world; and a 3rd Century AD Jewish temple that was constructed at an ancient location.
The institution was had to cease operations in 2012, one year after the start of the internal strife. The majority of the holdings was removed and preserved at secret locations to protect them.
It partially resumed in recent years and returned to normal in January 2025, four weeks after opposition groups overthrew President Bashar al-Assad.
Each of the six of Syria's Unesco World Heritage sites were affected or significantly impacted during the internal struggle.
The Islamic State group demolished multiple temples and additional edifices at the ancient city, stating that they were un-Islamic. International authorities denounced the damage as a atrocity.
Countless cultural items were also destroyed or taken from historical locations and museums.
