Ancient Artifacts Taken from the National Museum Located in Damascus
Historic sculptures and cultural objects have been taken from Syria's National Museum in the capital, sources confirm.
The robbery was found on Monday, when employees apparently found that an entrance had been forced from the interior.
The half-dozen stolen pieces were crafted from marble and traced back to the Roman period, one official informed the Associated Press.
Syria's Directorate-General for Antiquities and Museums said it had launched a probe to determine the "events surrounding the loss of a collection of exhibits", and that actions had been implemented to improve protection and observation methods.
The director of national security in Damascus province, Brig-Gen Osama Atkeh, was quoted by the official media as declaring that authorities were examining the theft, which he said had affected several "historical artifacts and rare collectibles".
He added that museum protectors at the facility and other individuals were being interviewed.
The Damascus Museum, which was established in the early twentieth century, holds the significant cultural treasures in Syria.
It contains clay cuneiform tablets originating to the ancient era from an ancient city, where proof of the most ancient complete alphabet was found; 1st and 2nd Century AD Greco-Roman sculptures from the ancient city, among the foremost cultural centres of the ancient world; and a 3rd Century AD Jewish temple that was constructed at an ancient location.
The institution was forced to close in 2012, one year after the beginning of the internal strife. A large portion of the holdings was transferred and preserved at secret locations to protect them.
It partially resumed in 2018 and resumed full operations in early this year, one month after insurgents overthrew Syria's former leader.
Each of the six of nationally recognized sites were harmed or partially destroyed during the conflict.
The militant faction destroyed numerous ancient buildings and historical sites at the archaeological site, stating that they were against their beliefs. International authorities censured the destruction as a war crime.
Numerous historical objects were also destroyed or stolen from historical locations and cultural institutions.
