Valuable Artifacts Removed from Syria's National Museum in Damascus
Valuable statues and cultural objects have been taken from Syria's National Museum in Damascus, authorities report.
The burglary was found on the start of the week, when museum workers allegedly found that an entrance had been broken from the inside.
The half-dozen stolen pieces were made of marble and dated back to the Roman period, a source told the Associated Press.
Syria's Directorate-General for Antiquities and Museums said it had initiated an inquiry to establish the "events surrounding the disappearance of a collection of artifacts", and that steps had been taken to improve protection and surveillance.
The director of domestic security in the capital area, Security Chief Atkeh, was cited by the government press as stating that law enforcement were examining the robbery, which he said had affected several "historical artifacts and valuable objects".
He added that security personnel at the museum and additional people were being interviewed.
The National Museum, which was established in the early twentieth century, contains the primary archaeological collection in the country.
It includes clay cuneiform tablets dating back to the 14th Century BC from historical site, where evidence of the most ancient writing system was uncovered; 1st and 2nd Century AD Greco-Roman sculptures from the ancient city, one of the most important cultural centres of the classical era; and a ancient synagogue that was established at an ancient location.
The museum was had to cease operations in 2012, a year after the start of the internal strife. The majority of the collection was removed and kept at secure places to safeguard them.
It partially resumed in 2018 and returned to normal in the beginning of the year, a month after insurgents removed the Assad regime.
Every one of Syria's Unesco World Heritage sites were affected or partially destroyed during the conflict.
The Islamic State group demolished numerous religious structures and additional edifices at Palmyra, asserting that they were idolatrous. Unesco denounced the demolition as a war crime.
Numerous cultural items were also damaged or taken from archaeological sites and cultural institutions.
