Valuable Sculptures Stolen from the National Museum Located in Damascus
Ancient artifacts and other artefacts have been taken from Syria's National Museum in the capital, sources confirm.
The robbery was found on the start of the week, when employees allegedly found that an entrance had been forced from the inside.
The half-dozen missing pieces were crafted from 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 identify the "details surrounding the theft of a collection of items", and that measures had been taken to strengthen security and monitoring systems.
The director of national security in Damascus province, General Osama Atkeh, was referenced by the state-run Sana news agency as saying that law enforcement were probing the incident, which he said had focused on several "historical artifacts and rare collectibles".
He added that museum protectors at the facility and other persons were being interviewed.
The Damascus Museum, which was established in the early twentieth century, houses the significant archaeological collection in the country.
It features historical records tracing back to the ancient era from an ancient city, where evidence of the oldest known writing system was discovered; Greco-Roman period classical statues from Palmyra, a significant ancient sites of the historical period; and a 3rd Century AD religious building that was constructed at an ancient location.
The museum was forced to close in 2012, twelve months after the outbreak of the destructive conflict. A large portion of the holdings was removed and stored at undisclosed sites to safeguard them.
It partially resumed in recent years and resumed full operations in the beginning of the year, a month after rebel forces overthrew Syria's former leader.
All six of nationally recognized sites were harmed or significantly impacted during the civil war.
The IS organization destroyed multiple ancient buildings and additional edifices at the archaeological site, stating that they were against their beliefs. The cultural organization censured the damage as a violation.
Countless artefacts were also lost or looted from archaeological sites and cultural institutions.
