Valuable Artifacts Stolen from Syria's National Museum in Damascus
Historic sculptures and other artefacts have been taken from the National Museum of Syria in the capital, officials say.
The robbery was found on the start of the week, when staff allegedly found that an entrance had been forced from the inside.
The six missing sculptures were made of marble and traced back to the Roman era, one official stated to the news agency.
The nation's antiquities authority said it had opened an investigation to identify the "circumstances surrounding the theft of a collection of items", and that steps had been implemented to improve security and observation methods.
The head of domestic security in the capital area, Brig-Gen Osama Atkeh, was referenced by the official media as saying that authorities were examining the theft, which he said had targeted several "archaeological statues and valuable objects".
He continued that guards at the facility and additional people were being interviewed.
The Damascus Museum, which was founded in 1919, houses the primary cultural treasures in the country.
It features clay cuneiform tablets dating back to the 14th Century BC from Ugarit, where indications of the most ancient writing system was found; early centuries CE classical statues from Palmyra, a significant ancient sites of the classical era; and a ancient Jewish temple that was constructed at an ancient location.
The facility was forced to close in 2012, twelve months after the start of the destructive conflict. The majority of the collection was evacuated and preserved at secret locations to protect them.
It partially resumed in 2018 and completely reopened in early this year, one month after insurgents overthrew Syria's former leader.
Every one of nationally recognized sites were harmed or partly ruined during the internal struggle.
The militant faction demolished several temples and other structures at Palmyra, asserting that they were against their beliefs. Unesco condemned the demolition as a violation.
Countless historical objects were also damaged or stolen from historical locations and museums.
