Historic Sculptures Stolen from the National Museum Located in Damascus
Historic sculptures and other artefacts have been taken from the National Museum of Syria in Damascus, sources confirm.
The theft was noticed on Monday, when museum workers apparently found that a doorway had been broken from the inside.
The half-dozen missing sculptures were crafted from marble and dated back to the Roman era, one official informed the media outlet.
Cultural heritage officials said it had opened an investigation to determine the "circumstances surrounding the disappearance of a number of items", and that steps had been taken to improve protection and monitoring systems.
The head of domestic security in the capital area, Security Chief Atkeh, was cited by the government press as saying that security forces were examining the incident, which he said had targeted several "ancient sculptures and unique items".
He continued that museum protectors at the facility and other persons were being interrogated.
The cultural institution, which was founded in the early twentieth century, contains the primary archaeological collection in the country.
It includes ancient inscribed tablets dating back to the Bronze Age from Ugarit, where indications of the earliest writing system was discovered; 1st and 2nd Century AD Greco-Roman sculptures from the ancient city, among the foremost ancient sites of the ancient world; and a third century religious building that was constructed at an ancient location.
The institution was had to cease operations in 2012, a year after the beginning of the internal strife. Most of the holdings was evacuated and stored at secret locations to protect them.
It reopened partially in recent years and returned to normal in January 2025, one month after rebel forces removed the Assad regime.
Each of the six of nationally recognized sites were harmed or significantly impacted during the conflict.
The IS organization demolished several religious structures and additional edifices at Palmyra, asserting that they were against their beliefs. Unesco denounced the demolition as a violation.
Countless cultural items were also damaged or stolen from historical locations and museums.
