Historic Sculptures Removed from the National Museum Located in Damascus
Ancient sculptures and additional items have been removed from Syria's National Museum in Damascus, sources confirm.
The robbery was found on the start of the week, when employees reportedly found that an entrance had been broken from the inside.
The half-dozen missing sculptures were crafted from marble and dated back to the Roman period, a source told the news agency.
Cultural heritage officials said it had opened an investigation to identify the "events surrounding the loss of a group of items", and that measures had been taken to improve security and observation methods.
The director of domestic security in the Damascus region, Brig-Gen Osama Atkeh, was quoted by the state-run Sana news agency as saying that authorities were examining the robbery, which he said had focused on several "ancient sculptures and valuable objects".
He added that security personnel at the facility and other individuals were being questioned.
The Damascus Museum, which was established in the early twentieth century, contains the significant historical artifacts in the country.
It includes clay cuneiform tablets tracing back to the 14th Century BC from historical site, where evidence of the oldest known writing system was uncovered; early centuries CE classical statues from the ancient city, one of the most important historical locations of the classical era; and a ancient Jewish temple that was constructed at an ancient location.
The facility was had to cease operations in 2012, one year after the beginning of the internal strife. A large portion of the artifacts was removed and stored at undisclosed sites to safeguard them.
It reopened partially in recent years and completely reopened in early this year, four weeks after rebel forces removed President Bashar al-Assad.
All six of Syria's Unesco World Heritage sites were affected or partially destroyed during the internal struggle.
The IS organization demolished numerous temples and other structures at Palmyra, asserting that they were idolatrous. International authorities censured the destruction as a war crime.
Countless artefacts were also destroyed or looted from historical locations and museums.
