Historic Statues Removed from Syria's National Museum Located in Damascus
Ancient sculptures and other artefacts have been taken from the National Museum of Syria in Damascus, sources confirm.
The burglary was found on the start of the week, when museum workers allegedly found that an entrance had been damaged from the interior.
The six stolen pieces were crafted from marble and traced back to the Roman period, an authority informed the Associated Press.
Syria's Directorate-General for Antiquities and Museums said it had launched a probe to determine the "events surrounding the disappearance of a group of items", and that actions had been implemented to strengthen safeguarding and monitoring systems.
The director of internal security in the capital area, Security Chief Atkeh, was cited by the state-run Sana news agency as stating that authorities were probing the incident, which he said had affected several "ancient sculptures and unique items".
He added that museum protectors at the museum and other individuals were being interviewed.
The National Museum, which was founded in 1919, holds the significant archaeological collection in the country.
It includes clay cuneiform tablets originating to the ancient era from an ancient city, where indications of the earliest linguistic system was uncovered; early centuries CE classical statues from historical site, one of the most important cultural centres of the ancient world; and a 3rd Century AD religious building that was established at another archaeological site.
The facility was forced to close in the early 2010s, twelve months after the start of the internal strife. The majority of the collection was transferred and kept at undisclosed sites to protect them.
It partially resumed in recent years and completely reopened in early this year, one month after rebel forces deposed President Bashar al-Assad.
All six of Syria's Unesco World Heritage sites were affected or partly ruined during the civil war.
The IS organization destroyed numerous ancient buildings and other structures at the archaeological site, claiming that they were idolatrous. International authorities denounced the demolition as a atrocity.
Numerous historical objects were also lost or taken from archaeological sites and museums.
