Historic Artifacts Stolen from Syria's National Museum Located in Damascus
Valuable artifacts and additional items have been stolen from Syria's National Museum in Damascus, sources confirm.
The burglary was noticed on Monday, when staff reportedly found that one of the museum's doors had been broken from the interior.
The multiple missing statues were made of marble and traced back to the ancient Roman times, a source told the media outlet.
Cultural heritage officials said it had initiated an inquiry to identify the "details surrounding the loss of a collection of exhibits", and that actions had been taken to improve protection and surveillance.
The head of internal security in the Damascus region, Brig-Gen Osama Atkeh, was referenced by the state-run Sana news agency as stating that authorities were investigating the incident, which he said had focused on several "ancient sculptures and rare collectibles".
He continued that security personnel at the museum and additional people were being interviewed.
The National Museum, which was established in the early twentieth century, holds the primary archaeological collection in the country.
It features historical records originating to the 14th Century BC from Ugarit, where indications of the most ancient writing system was uncovered; 1st and 2nd Century AD ancient art from historical site, a significant historical locations of the classical era; and a 3rd Century AD synagogue that was constructed at Dura Europos.
The institution was forced to close in the early 2010s, twelve months after the beginning of the devastating civil war. The majority of the collection was transferred and preserved at secret locations to protect them.
It partially resumed in recent years and resumed full operations in January 2025, four weeks after opposition groups deposed Syria's former leader.
Each of the six of the country's cultural landmarks were harmed or partially destroyed during the civil war.
The militant faction destroyed numerous religious structures and other structures at the ancient city, asserting that they were un-Islamic. Unesco censured the destruction as a war crime.
Many historical objects were also destroyed or taken from historical locations and collections.