Valuable Statues Stolen from Syria's National Museum Located in Damascus
Ancient statues and additional items have been taken from the National Museum of Syria in the capital, officials say.
The robbery was found on Monday, when employees allegedly found that a doorway had been damaged from the inside.
The multiple stolen pieces were crafted from marble and dated back to the ancient Roman times, one official stated to the media outlet.
Syria's Directorate-General for Antiquities and Museums said it had opened an investigation to establish the "events surrounding the disappearance of a group of exhibits", and that actions had been taken to strengthen security and observation methods.
The director of national security in the Damascus region, Security Chief Atkeh, was cited by the government press as saying that security forces were investigating the robbery, which he said had affected several "ancient sculptures and valuable objects".
He noted that security personnel at the museum and additional people were being interviewed.
The National Museum, which was created in the early twentieth century, houses the significant historical artifacts in Syria.
It features ancient inscribed tablets tracing back to the ancient era from historical site, where indications of the most ancient linguistic system was found; Greco-Roman period Greco-Roman sculptures from historical site, a significant historical locations of the historical period; and a ancient synagogue that was established at Dura Europos.
The institution was had to cease operations in the early 2010s, twelve months after the beginning of the internal strife. Most of the collection was removed and kept at secure places to protect them.
It partially resumed in recent years and returned to normal in the beginning of the year, one month after opposition groups removed Syria's former leader.
Each of the six of nationally recognized sites were damaged or partly ruined during the civil war.
The militant faction blew up numerous ancient buildings and additional edifices at Palmyra, asserting that they were against their beliefs. The cultural organization censured the demolition as a war crime.
Numerous artefacts were also destroyed or looted from historical locations and museums.
