Historic Artifacts Removed from Syria's National Museum in Damascus
Ancient sculptures and additional items have been removed from Syria's National Museum in Damascus, authorities report.
The robbery was found on the start of the week, when employees apparently found that an entrance had been damaged from the inside.
The half-dozen missing pieces were marble creations and dated back to the Roman era, one official told the media outlet.
The nation's antiquities authority said it had opened an investigation to identify the "events surrounding the disappearance of a number of artifacts", and that actions had been implemented to strengthen security and monitoring systems.
The head of national security in the Damascus region, General Osama Atkeh, was quoted by the government press as saying that security forces were investigating the theft, which he said had focused on several "archaeological statues and rare collectibles".
He continued that museum protectors at the museum and other individuals were being interviewed.
The National Museum, which was founded in the early twentieth century, houses the primary cultural treasures in the country.
It includes ancient inscribed tablets originating to the ancient era from historical site, where indications of the most ancient complete alphabet was discovered; 1st and 2nd Century AD classical statues from historical site, one of the most important ancient sites of the classical era; and a 3rd Century AD Jewish temple that was constructed at Dura Europos.
The facility was forced to close in the early 2010s, a year after the outbreak of the devastating civil war. Most of the collection was removed and preserved at secure places to ensure their safety.
It partially resumed in recent years and returned to normal in early this year, four weeks after opposition groups overthrew the Assad regime.
Every one of nationally recognized sites were harmed or significantly impacted during the conflict.
The Islamic State group blew up several ancient buildings and other structures at Palmyra, claiming that they were idolatrous. Unesco denounced the damage as a war crime.
Countless cultural items were also damaged or looted from dig sites and cultural institutions.
