Historic Sculptures Removed from Syria's National Museum Located in Damascus
Ancient artifacts and other artefacts have been stolen from Syria's National Museum in Damascus, officials say.
The theft was found on the start of the week, when staff reportedly found that one of the museum's doors had been damaged from the interior.
The six missing sculptures were crafted from marble and dated back to the Roman period, one official informed the Associated Press.
Syria's Directorate-General for Antiquities and Museums said it had opened an investigation to identify the "details surrounding the disappearance of a number of items", and that measures had been implemented to improve security and monitoring systems.
The chief of national security in the Damascus region, Security Chief Atkeh, was cited by the government press as saying that authorities were examining the incident, which he said had targeted several "ancient sculptures and unique items".
He noted that security personnel at the institution and additional people were being interviewed.
The Damascus Museum, which was created in the early twentieth century, contains the significant cultural treasures in Syria.
It features ancient inscribed tablets dating back to the Bronze Age from historical site, where indications of the most ancient writing system was found; Greco-Roman period classical statues from historical site, one of the most important cultural centres of the historical period; and a 3rd Century AD synagogue that was built at Dura Europos.
The institution was compelled to shut in 2012, one year after the start of the destructive conflict. A large portion of the artifacts was transferred and stored at secret locations to safeguard them.
It partially resumed in recent years and resumed full operations in January 2025, a month after opposition groups overthrew President Bashar al-Assad.
All six of Syria's Unesco World Heritage sites were harmed or partially destroyed during the internal struggle.
The militant faction blew up several temples and historical sites at Palmyra, asserting that they were un-Islamic. International authorities condemned the damage as a atrocity.
Numerous historical objects were also lost or taken from archaeological sites and museums.
