Valuable Sculptures Taken from Syria's National Museum in Damascus
Valuable statues and additional items have been removed from Syria's National Museum in the capital, authorities report.
The robbery was noticed on Monday, when museum workers apparently found that an entrance had been broken from the inside.
The six missing sculptures were marble creations and dated back to the Roman era, one official told the news agency.
The nation's antiquities authority said it had launched a probe to establish the "details surrounding the loss of a number of items", and that actions had been implemented to enhance protection and surveillance.
The director of national security in the capital area, Brig-Gen Osama Atkeh, was cited by the official media as saying that law enforcement were investigating the theft, which he said had targeted several "archaeological statues and unique items".
He noted that museum protectors at the museum and other persons were being interrogated.
The National Museum, which was established in 1919, holds the significant cultural treasures in Syria.
It features clay cuneiform tablets dating back to the ancient era from historical site, where evidence of the oldest known writing system was discovered; early centuries CE 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 an ancient location.
The facility was compelled to shut in the early 2010s, twelve months after the beginning of the destructive conflict. The majority of the artifacts was evacuated and stored at secret locations to protect them.
It reopened partially in 2018 and resumed full operations in the beginning of the year, a month after opposition groups overthrew Syria's former leader.
Each of the six of nationally recognized sites were damaged or partly ruined during the conflict.
The militant faction blew up multiple religious structures and historical sites at the archaeological site, claiming that they were idolatrous. International authorities denounced the demolition as a violation.
Many artefacts were also lost or taken from archaeological sites and cultural institutions.
