Historic Sculptures Removed from the National Museum Located in Damascus
Historic sculptures and cultural objects have been taken from Syria's National Museum in the capital, sources confirm.
The robbery was found on Monday, when museum workers reportedly found that one of the museum's doors had been broken from the interior.
The multiple taken sculptures were made of marble and dated back to the ancient Roman times, an authority told the Associated Press.
Syria's Directorate-General for Antiquities and Museums said it had launched a probe to establish the "events surrounding the theft of a group of exhibits", and that steps had been implemented to strengthen safeguarding and surveillance.
The director of internal security in Damascus province, Brig-Gen Osama Atkeh, was quoted by the government press as declaring that security forces were investigating the robbery, which he said had targeted several "ancient sculptures and rare collectibles".
He added that security personnel at the museum and other persons were being interviewed.
The National Museum, which was established in 1919, holds the most important historical artifacts in Syria.
It includes ancient inscribed tablets tracing back to the Bronze Age from an ancient city, where evidence of the most ancient linguistic system was uncovered; 1st and 2nd Century AD classical statues from the ancient city, one of the most important ancient sites of the historical period; and a ancient synagogue that was established at another archaeological site.
The museum was compelled to shut in the early 2010s, a year after the beginning of the internal strife. Most of the holdings was removed and preserved at secure places to protect them.
It partially resumed in recent years and returned to normal in the beginning of the year, a month after opposition groups removed President Bashar al-Assad.
Every one of nationally recognized sites were affected or partly ruined during the conflict.
The IS organization demolished numerous religious structures and additional edifices at Palmyra, asserting that they were idolatrous. Unesco condemned the demolition as a violation.
Numerous artefacts were also destroyed or looted from dig sites and collections.
