Ancient Artifacts Taken from Syria's National Museum Located in Damascus
Historic sculptures and additional items have been stolen from the National Museum of Syria in Damascus, sources confirm.
The burglary was discovered on Monday, when museum workers allegedly found that a doorway had been broken from the inside.
The multiple missing sculptures were marble creations and traced back to the ancient Roman times, one official stated to the news agency.
The nation's antiquities authority said it had opened an investigation to establish the "events surrounding the theft of a collection of exhibits", and that actions had been implemented to strengthen protection and surveillance.
The director of national security in Damascus province, Brig-Gen Osama Atkeh, was referenced by the government press as saying that law enforcement were examining the theft, which he said had targeted several "ancient sculptures and unique items".
He noted that museum protectors at the facility and other individuals were being interrogated.
The cultural institution, which was established in the early twentieth century, houses the primary historical artifacts in the country.
It features ancient inscribed tablets dating back to the ancient era from Ugarit, where proof of the earliest writing system was uncovered; 1st and 2nd Century AD ancient art from the ancient city, among the foremost ancient sites of the classical era; and a third century Jewish temple that was built at Dura Europos.
The institution was forced to close in 2012, one year after the outbreak of the devastating civil war. The majority of the holdings was removed and kept at secret locations to safeguard them.
It partially resumed in recent years and returned to normal in the beginning of the year, four weeks after insurgents deposed President Bashar al-Assad.
All six of Syria's Unesco World Heritage sites were affected or significantly impacted during the internal struggle.
The militant faction destroyed several ancient buildings and historical sites at Palmyra, claiming that they were un-Islamic. The cultural organization censured the damage as a war crime.
Numerous historical objects were also destroyed or looted from dig sites and cultural institutions.
