Historic Statues Stolen from the National Museum in Damascus
Valuable statues and other artefacts have been stolen from the National Museum of Syria in Damascus, authorities report.
The robbery was found on Monday, when staff apparently found that one of the museum's doors had been damaged from the interior.
The six stolen statues were made of marble and originated to the ancient Roman times, a source informed the Associated Press.
The nation's antiquities authority said it had opened an investigation to determine the "events surrounding the theft of a group of items", and that measures had been taken to enhance security and surveillance.
The director of national security in Damascus province, Security Chief Atkeh, was quoted by the state-run Sana news agency as declaring that authorities were examining the robbery, which he said had affected several "archaeological statues and valuable objects".
He added that museum protectors at the facility and other persons were being interrogated.
The National Museum, which was created in the early twentieth century, contains the significant historical artifacts in the country.
It includes ancient inscribed tablets dating back to the 14th Century BC from Ugarit, where indications of the most ancient linguistic system was discovered; Greco-Roman period Greco-Roman sculptures from historical site, a significant ancient sites of the historical period; and a 3rd Century AD synagogue that was established at an ancient location.
The institution was forced to close in the early 2010s, one year after the start of the internal strife. The majority of the collection was evacuated and stored at undisclosed sites to protect them.
It began limited operations in recent years and returned to normal in the beginning of the year, one month after opposition groups overthrew the Assad regime.
Every one of nationally recognized sites were harmed or partially destroyed during the internal struggle.
The Islamic State group destroyed multiple temples and other structures at Palmyra, claiming that they were un-Islamic. Unesco denounced the demolition as a atrocity.
Countless artefacts were also lost or looted from historical locations and cultural institutions.
