Historic Sculptures Stolen from Syria's National Museum Located in Damascus
Historic statues and cultural objects have been taken from Syria's National Museum in Damascus, authorities report.
The burglary was discovered on the start of the week, when staff allegedly found that one of the museum's doors had been broken from the interior.
The multiple stolen sculptures were marble creations and traced back to the Roman period, one official informed the media outlet.
Cultural heritage officials said it had initiated an inquiry to determine the "circumstances surrounding the disappearance of a group of items", and that steps had been taken to strengthen protection and observation methods.
The head of national security in the capital area, General Osama Atkeh, was cited by the state-run Sana news agency as stating that law enforcement were probing the robbery, which he said had affected several "archaeological statues and unique items".
He noted that guards at the facility and other persons were being questioned.
The cultural institution, which was created in 1919, contains the significant cultural treasures in the country.
It features historical records originating to the 14th Century BC from historical site, where indications of the earliest complete alphabet was found; 1st and 2nd Century AD classical statues from the ancient city, one of the most important ancient sites of the historical period; and a third century synagogue that was established at another archaeological site.
The facility was compelled to shut in the early 2010s, a year after the beginning of the destructive conflict. A large portion of the collection was transferred and stored at secret locations to ensure their safety.
It partially resumed in recent years and completely reopened in the beginning of the year, four weeks after opposition groups removed President Bashar al-Assad.
Each of the six of Syria's Unesco World Heritage sites were affected or partly ruined during the conflict.
The Islamic State group blew up multiple temples and historical sites at the archaeological site, asserting that they were idolatrous. The cultural organization censured the destruction as a atrocity.
Numerous cultural items were also destroyed or stolen from historical locations and museums.
