Historic Sculptures Stolen from Syria's National Museum Located in Damascus
Valuable artifacts and cultural objects have been taken from the National Museum of Syria in Damascus, officials say.
The theft was noticed on Monday, when employees allegedly found that an entrance had been forced from the interior.
The multiple stolen pieces were marble creations and originated to the Roman period, a source informed the Associated Press.
Cultural heritage officials said it had initiated an inquiry to identify the "details surrounding the theft of a collection of items", and that steps had been enacted to strengthen safeguarding and observation methods.
The head of national security in the Damascus region, Brig-Gen Osama Atkeh, was quoted by the state-run Sana news agency as stating that authorities were investigating the robbery, which he said had affected several "ancient sculptures and rare collectibles".
He noted that museum protectors at the museum and other persons were being interrogated.
The Damascus Museum, which was founded in the early twentieth century, holds the significant historical artifacts in Syria.
It includes ancient inscribed tablets dating back to the ancient era from Ugarit, where evidence of the earliest complete alphabet was uncovered; early centuries CE Greco-Roman sculptures from the ancient city, a significant cultural centres of the ancient world; and a ancient religious building that was constructed at an ancient location.
The institution was forced to close in 2012, twelve months after the beginning of the destructive conflict. The majority of the holdings was evacuated and stored at secure places to ensure their safety.
It partially resumed in recent years and completely reopened in early this year, a month after opposition groups deposed Syria's former leader.
Each of the six of nationally recognized sites were affected or partially destroyed during the internal struggle.
The Islamic State group blew up several religious structures and other structures at the archaeological site, asserting that they were un-Islamic. The cultural organization denounced the damage as a atrocity.
Numerous historical objects were also destroyed or taken from historical locations and collections.
