Valuable Statues Taken from Syria's National Museum Located in Damascus
Historic artifacts and cultural objects have been stolen from Syria's National Museum in Damascus, authorities report.
The robbery was discovered on Monday, when staff allegedly found that an entrance had been forced from the interior.
The six missing statues were crafted from marble and originated to the ancient Roman times, a source informed the Associated Press.
Cultural heritage officials said it had opened an investigation to determine the "circumstances surrounding the loss of a group of items", and that measures had been implemented to strengthen security and monitoring systems.
The chief of national security in the Damascus region, Security Chief Atkeh, was quoted by the official media as stating that security forces were investigating the incident, which he said had focused on several "ancient sculptures and valuable objects".
He continued that museum protectors at the museum and other persons were being questioned.
The Damascus Museum, which was established in 1919, contains the primary cultural treasures in Syria.
It features clay cuneiform tablets tracing back to the ancient era from an ancient city, where proof of the most ancient linguistic system was found; Greco-Roman period classical statues from the ancient city, one of the most important historical locations of the historical period; and a 3rd Century AD Jewish temple that was built at an ancient location.
The institution was had to cease operations in 2012, one year after the beginning of the destructive conflict. Most of the collection was removed and stored at secure places to safeguard them.
It reopened partially in 2018 and resumed full operations in early this year, four weeks after insurgents deposed President Bashar al-Assad.
Every one of the country's cultural landmarks were affected or partly ruined during the internal struggle.
The IS organization blew up several temples and other structures at the ancient city, claiming that they were un-Islamic. The cultural organization condemned the damage as a war crime.
Many cultural items were also damaged or looted from dig sites and museums.
