Valuable Statues Stolen from the National Museum in Damascus
Historic artifacts and cultural objects have been removed from Syria's National Museum in the capital, sources confirm.
The robbery was discovered on the start of the week, when staff apparently found that an entrance had been forced from the interior.
The multiple stolen statues were made of marble and originated to the Roman period, a source told the media outlet.
Syria's Directorate-General for Antiquities and Museums said it had launched a probe to determine the "details surrounding the loss of a group of exhibits", and that actions had been implemented to enhance security and monitoring systems.
The chief of domestic security in the capital area, General Osama Atkeh, was referenced by the state-run Sana news agency as stating that authorities were probing the theft, which he said had affected several "historical artifacts and valuable objects".
He continued that guards at the facility and other individuals were being interrogated.
The cultural institution, which was created in 1919, holds the primary archaeological collection in Syria.
It features historical records dating back to the Bronze Age from an ancient city, where indications of the oldest known linguistic system was found; Greco-Roman period ancient art from Palmyra, one of the most important ancient sites of the historical period; and a 3rd Century AD synagogue that was built at Dura Europos.
The museum was forced to close in the early 2010s, one year after the outbreak of the destructive conflict. The majority of the collection was evacuated and preserved at undisclosed sites to ensure their safety.
It began limited operations in 2018 and completely reopened in January 2025, four weeks after opposition groups removed Syria's former leader.
Each of the six of the country's cultural landmarks were harmed or partially destroyed during the civil war.
The IS organization destroyed multiple religious structures and historical sites at Palmyra, asserting that they were idolatrous. The cultural organization denounced the demolition as a atrocity.
Many historical objects were also lost or looted from dig sites and cultural institutions.
