Ancient Statues Stolen from the National Museum Located in Damascus
Ancient sculptures and cultural objects have been removed from the National Museum of Syria in the capital, authorities report.
The theft was noticed on Monday, when museum workers allegedly found that an entrance had been broken from the inside.
The multiple missing statues were crafted from marble and traced back to the Roman period, a source stated to the media outlet.
The nation's antiquities authority said it had opened an investigation to identify the "circumstances surrounding the disappearance of a collection of artifacts", and that measures had been taken to strengthen security and monitoring systems.
The director of internal security in the capital area, General Osama Atkeh, was cited by the government press as saying that law enforcement were investigating the robbery, which he said had focused on several "ancient sculptures and unique items".
He noted that museum protectors at the institution and other persons were being questioned.
The cultural institution, which was created in 1919, houses the primary cultural treasures in Syria.
It contains historical records originating to the 14th Century BC from historical site, where evidence of the most ancient complete alphabet was uncovered; 1st and 2nd Century AD ancient art from historical site, among the foremost ancient sites of the ancient world; and a ancient synagogue that was constructed at Dura Europos.
The institution was compelled to shut in 2012, twelve months after the beginning of the internal strife. A large portion of the artifacts was transferred and stored at secure places to protect them.
It reopened partially in recent years and returned to normal in the beginning of the year, four weeks after opposition groups overthrew President Bashar al-Assad.
All six of the country's cultural landmarks were damaged or partly ruined during the conflict.
The militant faction destroyed several ancient buildings and additional edifices at the ancient city, stating that they were against their beliefs. The cultural organization censured the destruction as a war crime.
Countless cultural items were also destroyed or looted from dig sites and museums.
