Valuable Statues Taken from Syria's National Museum Located in Damascus
Valuable artifacts and additional items have been taken from the National Museum of Syria in Damascus, sources confirm.
The robbery was discovered on the start of the week, when staff reportedly found that an entrance had been broken from the interior.
The half-dozen stolen pieces were made of marble and dated back to the Roman period, one official informed the media outlet.
Cultural heritage officials said it had initiated an inquiry to establish the "events surrounding the disappearance of a number of artifacts", and that measures had been enacted to strengthen security and observation methods.
The head of national security in the capital area, General Osama Atkeh, was cited by the official media as declaring that security forces were investigating the incident, which he said had focused on several "archaeological statues and valuable objects".
He noted that security personnel at the institution and other individuals were being questioned.
The cultural institution, which was created in 1919, houses the primary cultural treasures in Syria.
It includes ancient inscribed tablets originating to the 14th Century BC from an ancient city, where proof of the earliest linguistic system was uncovered; 1st and 2nd Century AD Greco-Roman sculptures from Palmyra, one of the most important ancient sites of the classical era; and a ancient synagogue that was established at an ancient location.
The museum was forced to close in the early 2010s, twelve months after the outbreak of the internal strife. A large portion of the collection was transferred and preserved at secret locations to ensure their safety.
It partially resumed in recent years and completely reopened in early this year, one month after rebel forces overthrew President Bashar al-Assad.
Every one of Syria's Unesco World Heritage sites were affected or partially destroyed during the civil war.
The IS organization demolished multiple ancient buildings and additional edifices at the archaeological site, stating that they were idolatrous. International authorities censured the demolition as a war crime.
Numerous cultural items were also lost or taken from archaeological sites and cultural institutions.
