Valuable Statues Stolen from Syria's National Museum in Damascus
Ancient artifacts and other artefacts have been stolen from Syria's National Museum in Damascus, sources confirm.
The burglary was found on Monday, when staff allegedly found that an entrance had been forced from the interior.
The six missing pieces were marble creations and dated back to the ancient Roman times, a source stated to the Associated Press.
The nation's antiquities authority said it had launched a probe to determine the "details surrounding the loss of a collection of items", and that steps had been taken to strengthen protection and surveillance.
The head of internal security in the capital area, Security Chief Atkeh, was referenced by the official media as saying that authorities were investigating the incident, which he said had focused on several "historical artifacts and unique items".
He added that museum protectors at the museum and other persons were being interviewed.
The cultural institution, which was founded in 1919, holds the primary historical artifacts in the country.
It includes clay cuneiform tablets originating to the ancient era from Ugarit, where evidence of the most ancient linguistic system was discovered; 1st and 2nd Century AD Greco-Roman sculptures from historical site, one of the most important ancient sites of the historical period; and a 3rd Century AD synagogue that was constructed at Dura Europos.
The facility was compelled to shut in the early 2010s, one year after the beginning of the internal strife. Most of the collection was transferred and stored at secure places to safeguard them.
It partially resumed in recent years and resumed full operations in early this year, four weeks after opposition groups overthrew President Bashar al-Assad.
Each of the six of nationally recognized sites were damaged or significantly impacted during the internal struggle.
The IS organization demolished several ancient buildings and other structures at the archaeological site, asserting that they were un-Islamic. The cultural organization censured the demolition as a violation.
Countless cultural items were also damaged or stolen from archaeological sites and museums.
