Valuable Statues Stolen from Syria's National Museum in Damascus
Valuable sculptures and other artefacts have been taken from Syria's National Museum in the capital, sources confirm.
The theft was noticed on Monday, when employees allegedly found that one of the museum's doors had been forced from the inside.
The half-dozen stolen sculptures were marble creations and originated to the Roman era, a source informed the news agency.
Syria's Directorate-General for Antiquities and Museums said it had opened an investigation to establish the "details surrounding the disappearance of a collection of items", and that actions had been implemented to enhance safeguarding and observation methods.
The head of domestic security in the capital area, General Osama Atkeh, was cited by the government press as saying that law enforcement were investigating the theft, which he said had targeted several "historical artifacts and valuable objects".
He added that guards at the museum and other individuals were being interrogated.
The cultural institution, which was founded in 1919, contains the most important historical artifacts in Syria.
It contains clay cuneiform tablets tracing back to the Bronze Age from Ugarit, where evidence of the most ancient complete alphabet was uncovered; early centuries CE classical statues from historical site, among the foremost ancient sites of the classical era; and a 3rd Century AD religious building that was built at Dura Europos.
The institution was forced to close in 2012, a year after the outbreak of the destructive conflict. The majority of the artifacts was evacuated and preserved at secure places to safeguard them.
It partially resumed in recent years and completely reopened in January 2025, four weeks after rebel forces deposed President Bashar al-Assad.
Every one of the country's cultural landmarks were harmed or partially destroyed during the civil war.
The IS organization destroyed numerous temples and other structures at the archaeological site, asserting that they were un-Islamic. International authorities censured the demolition as a atrocity.
Many historical objects were also lost or taken from dig sites and cultural institutions.
