Valuable Sculptures Stolen from Syria's National Museum Located in Damascus
Ancient statues and additional items have been stolen 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 forced from the interior.
The multiple taken pieces were marble creations and dated back to the Roman period, a source informed the media outlet.
The nation's antiquities authority said it had initiated an inquiry to establish the "details surrounding the loss of a collection of exhibits", and that measures had been taken to enhance safeguarding and observation methods.
The chief of internal security in the capital area, General Osama Atkeh, was quoted by the state-run Sana news agency as saying that security forces were investigating the robbery, which he said had affected several "historical artifacts and rare collectibles".
He continued that security personnel at the institution and other persons were being interrogated.
The National Museum, which was created in 1919, holds the most important historical artifacts in Syria.
It features historical records dating back to the ancient era from historical site, where indications of the earliest linguistic system was uncovered; Greco-Roman period Greco-Roman sculptures from historical site, among the foremost historical locations of the classical era; and a 3rd Century AD synagogue that was constructed at an ancient location.
The museum was compelled to shut in 2012, a year after the outbreak of the internal strife. A large portion of the holdings was evacuated and stored at secure places to ensure their safety.
It partially resumed in recent years and resumed full operations in early this year, four weeks after insurgents overthrew President Bashar al-Assad.
Each of the six of Syria's Unesco World Heritage sites were affected or significantly impacted during the conflict.
The militant faction demolished several temples and additional edifices at Palmyra, asserting that they were idolatrous. The cultural organization denounced the damage as a atrocity.
Many historical objects were also lost or taken from dig sites and cultural institutions.
