Historic Statues Stolen from Syria's National Museum in Damascus
Ancient sculptures and additional items have been removed from the National Museum of Syria in Damascus, sources confirm.
The burglary was discovered on Monday, when employees apparently found that one of the museum's doors had been broken from the inside.
The six taken pieces were marble creations and traced back to the Roman period, an authority told the news agency.
Syria's Directorate-General for Antiquities and Museums said it had launched a probe to determine the "circumstances surrounding the loss of a number of artifacts", and that actions had been implemented to strengthen protection and monitoring systems.
The director of domestic security in the capital area, Security Chief Atkeh, was quoted by the government press as declaring that law enforcement were examining the incident, which he said had affected several "archaeological statues and valuable objects".
He noted that security personnel at the institution and other persons were being interrogated.
The Damascus Museum, which was founded in 1919, contains the significant archaeological collection in the country.
It contains historical records originating to the 14th Century BC from historical site, where indications of the oldest known writing system was uncovered; early centuries CE ancient art from Palmyra, among the foremost ancient sites of the historical period; and a 3rd Century AD synagogue that was established at another archaeological site.
The institution was had to cease operations in 2012, a year after the beginning of the destructive conflict. The majority of the artifacts was transferred and stored at secret locations to ensure their safety.
It began limited operations in 2018 and completely reopened in January 2025, four weeks after opposition groups removed Syria's former leader.
Every one of nationally recognized sites were damaged or partially destroyed during the internal struggle.
The Islamic State group blew up numerous temples and historical sites at Palmyra, asserting that they were against their beliefs. International authorities denounced the damage as a atrocity.
Countless cultural items were also damaged or taken from historical locations and museums.
