Historic Artifacts Stolen from Syria's National Museum in Damascus
Historic artifacts and other artefacts have been taken from Syria's National Museum in the capital, sources confirm.
The burglary was noticed on Monday, when staff apparently found that a doorway had been forced from the inside.
The multiple taken sculptures were marble creations and traced back to the Roman period, a source told the media outlet.
Syria's Directorate-General for Antiquities and Museums said it had opened an investigation to identify the "circumstances surrounding the loss of a group of artifacts", and that actions had been taken to improve protection and surveillance.
The director of domestic security in Damascus province, General Osama Atkeh, was referenced by the state-run Sana news agency as declaring that authorities were probing the theft, which he said had targeted several "ancient sculptures and rare collectibles".
He added that guards at the facility and other individuals were being questioned.
The National Museum, which was founded in 1919, holds the significant cultural treasures in the country.
It includes ancient inscribed tablets dating back to the 14th Century BC from historical site, where evidence of the oldest known linguistic system was found; Greco-Roman period classical statues from Palmyra, a significant ancient sites of the historical period; and a third century Jewish temple that was established at an ancient location.
The museum was had to cease operations in the early 2010s, twelve months after the start of the devastating civil war. Most of the artifacts was removed and kept at secret locations to safeguard them.
It partially resumed in recent years and completely reopened in January 2025, a month after opposition groups removed President Bashar al-Assad.
All six of the country's cultural landmarks were damaged or partly ruined during the civil war.
The militant faction destroyed several ancient buildings and historical sites at the archaeological site, stating that they were idolatrous. The cultural organization denounced the destruction as a violation.
Numerous artefacts were also lost or looted from archaeological sites and museums.
