Ancient Sculptures Taken from Syria's National Museum Located in Damascus
Ancient artifacts and other artefacts have been removed from the National Museum of Syria in Damascus, sources confirm.
The theft was discovered on Monday, when employees reportedly found that a doorway had been broken from the interior.
The six missing pieces were made of marble and traced back to the Roman era, one official told the news agency.
Syria's Directorate-General for Antiquities and Museums said it had opened an investigation to identify the "events surrounding the disappearance of a number of artifacts", and that measures had been enacted to enhance protection and monitoring systems.
The director of domestic security in the Damascus region, Brig-Gen Osama Atkeh, was referenced by the government press as stating that authorities were investigating the incident, which he said had targeted several "archaeological statues and valuable objects".
He continued that museum protectors at the institution and other individuals were being interviewed.
The National Museum, which was founded in the early twentieth century, houses the most important archaeological collection in Syria.
It features ancient inscribed tablets originating to the ancient era from an ancient city, where indications of the earliest complete alphabet was discovered; early centuries CE Greco-Roman sculptures from Palmyra, a significant historical locations of the classical era; and a 3rd Century AD synagogue that was built at an ancient location.
The facility was had to cease operations in 2012, one year after the outbreak of the destructive conflict. Most of the collection was evacuated and stored at undisclosed sites to ensure their safety.
It partially resumed in recent years and resumed full operations in the beginning of the year, four weeks after rebel forces removed the Assad regime.
All six of nationally recognized sites were harmed or significantly impacted during the internal struggle.
The Islamic State group destroyed numerous temples and historical sites at the ancient city, asserting that they were against their beliefs. The cultural organization denounced the destruction as a war crime.
Many artefacts were also lost or taken from dig sites and collections.
