Ancient Artifacts Stolen from Syria's National Museum Located in Damascus
Ancient artifacts and cultural objects have been removed from Syria's National Museum in Damascus, sources confirm.
The theft was noticed on Monday, when museum workers reportedly found that a doorway had been damaged from the interior.
The multiple taken statues were crafted from marble and traced back to the Roman period, a source stated to the news agency.
Syria's Directorate-General for Antiquities and Museums said it had opened an investigation to establish the "events surrounding the theft of a number of artifacts", and that steps had been implemented to improve protection and monitoring systems.
The chief of internal security in the Damascus region, General Osama Atkeh, was referenced by the state-run Sana news agency as saying that authorities were probing the incident, which he said had focused on several "ancient sculptures and unique items".
He continued that guards at the museum and other persons were being interviewed.
The National Museum, which was created in the early twentieth century, contains the primary archaeological collection in Syria.
It contains historical records tracing back to the 14th Century BC from Ugarit, where proof of the earliest complete alphabet was found; Greco-Roman period Greco-Roman sculptures from historical site, a significant ancient sites of the historical period; and a 3rd Century AD religious building that was established at an ancient location.
The facility was had to cease operations in the early 2010s, twelve months after the beginning of the destructive conflict. Most of the collection was transferred and kept at secure places to safeguard them.
It began limited operations in 2018 and completely reopened in January 2025, four weeks after insurgents deposed the Assad regime.
Each of the six of Syria's Unesco World Heritage sites were damaged or partially destroyed during the conflict.
The IS organization blew up several ancient buildings and historical sites at the archaeological site, stating that they were un-Islamic. International authorities denounced the destruction as a violation.
Numerous artefacts were also destroyed or looted from archaeological sites and cultural institutions.