Historic Statues Taken from the National Museum in Damascus
Historic sculptures and additional items have been taken from the National Museum of Syria in the capital, sources confirm.
The burglary was noticed on Monday, when museum workers allegedly found that a doorway had been broken from the interior.
The half-dozen stolen sculptures were made of marble and dated back to the ancient Roman times, one official told the media outlet.
Syria's Directorate-General for Antiquities and Museums said it had launched a probe to establish the "details surrounding the disappearance of a group of exhibits", and that measures had been enacted to improve security and surveillance.
The head of domestic security in the Damascus region, Brig-Gen Osama Atkeh, was referenced by the official media as saying that security forces were examining the robbery, which he said had targeted several "archaeological statues and rare collectibles".
He added that security personnel at the museum and additional people were being questioned.
The cultural institution, which was established in 1919, houses the most important historical artifacts in Syria.
It includes clay cuneiform tablets originating to the Bronze Age from historical site, where evidence of the oldest known linguistic system was uncovered; Greco-Roman period Greco-Roman sculptures from Palmyra, one of the most important cultural centres of the classical era; and a ancient religious building that was established at an ancient location.
The institution was compelled to shut in 2012, one year after the start of the destructive conflict. Most of the artifacts was evacuated and stored at secure places to safeguard them.
It reopened partially in 2018 and completely reopened in early this year, one month after opposition groups deposed the Assad regime.
All six of Syria's Unesco World Heritage sites were affected or partly ruined during the civil war.
The Islamic State group demolished numerous ancient buildings and other structures at Palmyra, stating that they were against their beliefs. Unesco condemned the damage as a atrocity.
Countless historical objects were also lost or taken from archaeological sites and cultural institutions.
