Valuable Statues Taken from the National Museum Located in Damascus
Historic statues and other artefacts have been removed from the National Museum of Syria in Damascus, sources confirm.
The theft was discovered on Monday, when staff apparently found that a doorway had been forced from the inside.
The six taken pieces were crafted from marble and dated back to the ancient Roman times, a source informed the Associated Press.
Cultural heritage officials said it had launched a probe to establish the "events surrounding the loss of a group of exhibits", and that measures had been taken to improve safeguarding and surveillance.
The chief of national security in the Damascus region, Security Chief 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 unique items".
He continued that security personnel at the museum and additional people were being interrogated.
The Damascus Museum, which was founded in the early twentieth century, holds the most important archaeological collection in Syria.
It contains clay cuneiform tablets tracing back to the 14th Century BC from historical site, where evidence of the most ancient writing system was found; early centuries CE ancient art from the ancient city, among the foremost cultural centres of the ancient world; and a 3rd Century AD synagogue that was established at an ancient location.
The institution was forced to close in the early 2010s, twelve months after the outbreak of the devastating civil war. A large portion of the holdings was transferred and stored at undisclosed sites to safeguard them.
It began limited operations in recent years and returned to normal in the beginning of the year, four weeks after opposition groups deposed President Bashar al-Assad.
Every one of the country's cultural landmarks were damaged or partially destroyed during the civil war.
The IS organization blew up numerous religious structures and additional edifices at the ancient city, asserting that they were against their beliefs. Unesco condemned the destruction as a atrocity.
Numerous artefacts were also damaged or taken from historical locations and museums.
