Valuable Artifacts Taken from the National Museum Located in Damascus
Historic sculptures and cultural objects have been removed from the National Museum of Syria in Damascus, officials say.
The burglary was found on Monday, when staff apparently found that a doorway had been damaged from the inside.
The half-dozen stolen pieces were marble creations and traced back to the ancient Roman times, a source told the news agency.
Cultural heritage officials said it had launched a probe to establish the "details surrounding the disappearance of a group of exhibits", and that measures had been taken to enhance protection and surveillance.
The head of domestic security in Damascus province, Brig-Gen Osama Atkeh, was cited by the official media as stating that law enforcement were examining the robbery, which he said had affected several "ancient sculptures and unique items".
He continued that security personnel at the institution and other individuals were being questioned.
The cultural institution, which was established in 1919, houses the primary archaeological collection in Syria.
It contains historical records tracing back to the ancient era from historical site, where indications of the earliest complete alphabet was discovered; 1st and 2nd Century AD Greco-Roman sculptures from the ancient city, one of the most important cultural centres of the classical era; and a ancient religious building that was constructed at another archaeological site.
The museum was forced to close in the early 2010s, twelve months after the beginning of the destructive conflict. A large portion of the artifacts was evacuated and preserved at undisclosed sites to safeguard them.
It reopened partially in recent years and completely reopened in early this year, a month after opposition groups overthrew President Bashar al-Assad.
Every one of the country's cultural landmarks were affected or significantly impacted during the conflict.
The Islamic State group demolished numerous religious structures and historical sites at Palmyra, stating that they were un-Islamic. International authorities censured the demolition as a atrocity.
Numerous artefacts were also damaged or stolen from archaeological sites and cultural institutions.
