Valuable Artifacts Removed from Syria's National Museum Located in Damascus
Historic statues and cultural objects have been removed from Syria's National Museum in Damascus, sources confirm.
The theft was discovered on Monday, when staff reportedly found that an entrance had been broken from the interior.
The six taken statues were made of marble and dated back to the ancient Roman times, a source informed the Associated Press.
Cultural heritage officials said it had initiated an inquiry to determine the "events surrounding the theft of a group of items", and that actions had been taken to strengthen security and monitoring systems.
The director of domestic security in Damascus province, Brig-Gen Osama Atkeh, was cited by the state-run Sana news agency as saying that security forces were investigating the incident, which he said had focused on several "archaeological statues and rare collectibles".
He continued that security personnel at the facility and other persons were being interrogated.
The National Museum, which was created in 1919, holds the significant cultural treasures in the country.
It contains historical records originating to the ancient era from an ancient city, where evidence of the most ancient linguistic system was found; Greco-Roman period Greco-Roman sculptures from Palmyra, a significant cultural centres of the ancient world; and a 3rd Century AD Jewish temple that was built at an ancient location.
The facility was compelled to shut in the early 2010s, one year after the beginning of the destructive conflict. Most of the holdings was evacuated and preserved at secret locations to protect them.
It reopened partially in recent years and resumed full operations in January 2025, one month after opposition groups overthrew the Assad regime.
All six of nationally recognized sites were harmed or partially destroyed during the conflict.
The Islamic State group blew up multiple temples and additional edifices at the ancient city, stating that they were against their beliefs. International authorities censured the demolition as a violation.
Many cultural items were also destroyed or stolen from archaeological sites and cultural institutions.
