Ancient Artifacts Taken from Syria's National Museum Located in Damascus
Ancient artifacts and cultural objects have been stolen from Syria's National Museum in Damascus, officials say.
The robbery was noticed on the start of the week, when staff apparently found that an entrance had been broken from the interior.
The multiple stolen pieces were crafted from marble and traced back to the Roman period, a source informed the news agency.
Cultural heritage officials said it had initiated an inquiry to identify the "details surrounding the loss of a number of exhibits", and that steps had been taken to enhance safeguarding and observation methods.
The director of domestic security in the capital area, Security Chief Atkeh, was quoted by the official media as saying that security forces were probing the incident, which he said had focused on several "ancient sculptures and unique items".
He noted that museum protectors at the facility and other persons were being interviewed.
The Damascus Museum, which was created in the early twentieth century, holds the primary historical artifacts in the country.
It features ancient inscribed tablets originating to the 14th Century BC from historical site, where evidence of the earliest writing system was found; early centuries CE Greco-Roman sculptures from the ancient city, among the foremost cultural centres of the ancient world; and a 3rd Century AD Jewish temple that was built at another archaeological site.
The institution was forced to close in 2012, twelve months after the start of the destructive conflict. Most of the holdings was transferred and stored at secure places to protect them.
It partially resumed in 2018 and completely reopened in early this year, a month after insurgents removed President Bashar al-Assad.
Each of the six of Syria's Unesco World Heritage sites were harmed or significantly impacted during the civil war.
The militant faction blew up numerous ancient buildings and other structures at Palmyra, asserting that they were idolatrous. The cultural organization denounced the demolition as a war crime.
Countless cultural items were also destroyed or stolen from historical locations and collections.
