Historic Sculptures Stolen from the National Museum in Damascus
Ancient artifacts and additional items have been removed from the National Museum of Syria in Damascus, sources confirm.
The robbery was discovered on the start of the week, when museum workers reportedly found that a doorway had been broken from the interior.
The multiple taken pieces were marble creations and traced back to the ancient Roman times, a source stated to the news agency.
Syria's Directorate-General for Antiquities and Museums said it had launched a probe to determine the "details surrounding the loss of a collection of artifacts", and that steps had been enacted to strengthen security and observation methods.
The director of national security in the Damascus region, Security Chief Atkeh, was quoted by the government press as stating that law enforcement were examining the incident, which he said had targeted several "historical artifacts and rare collectibles".
He continued that museum protectors at the institution and other individuals were being interrogated.
The cultural institution, which was founded in the early twentieth century, houses the primary cultural treasures in the country.
It contains historical records tracing back to the 14th Century BC from an ancient city, where indications of the earliest complete alphabet was discovered; 1st and 2nd Century AD classical statues from historical site, among the foremost cultural centres of the classical era; and a 3rd Century AD Jewish temple that was constructed at an ancient location.
The museum was compelled to shut in 2012, twelve months after the start of the internal strife. Most of the holdings was evacuated and kept at secret locations to safeguard them.
It reopened partially in recent years and completely reopened in early this year, one month after insurgents overthrew President Bashar al-Assad.
All six of Syria's Unesco World Heritage sites were affected or partly ruined during the internal struggle.
The militant faction destroyed numerous ancient buildings and additional edifices at Palmyra, stating that they were idolatrous. Unesco condemned the destruction as a violation.
Countless cultural items were also destroyed or taken from dig sites and collections.
