Valuable Artifacts Removed from the National Museum in Damascus
Valuable statues and other artefacts have been stolen from Syria's National Museum in Damascus, authorities report.
The robbery was noticed on the start of the week, when staff apparently found that a doorway had been damaged from the interior.
The multiple missing statues were marble creations and originated to the Roman period, a source informed the Associated Press.
The nation's antiquities authority said it had launched a probe to determine the "events surrounding the disappearance of a number of artifacts", and that actions had been implemented to enhance protection and surveillance.
The director of national security in the Damascus region, Brig-Gen Osama Atkeh, was referenced by the government press as declaring that authorities were probing the theft, which he said had affected several "archaeological statues and valuable objects".
He continued that security personnel at the museum and other persons were being questioned.
The cultural institution, which was founded in 1919, contains the primary cultural treasures in the country.
It contains clay cuneiform tablets originating to the Bronze Age from historical site, where indications of the earliest linguistic system was discovered; early centuries CE classical statues from the ancient city, a significant ancient sites of the ancient world; and a 3rd Century AD religious building that was constructed at Dura Europos.
The institution was had to cease operations in 2012, one year after the start of the internal strife. Most of the collection was transferred and stored at secret locations to protect them.
It partially resumed in recent years and returned to normal in the beginning of the year, a month after insurgents overthrew Syria's former leader.
Every one of nationally recognized sites were harmed or significantly impacted during the civil war.
The militant faction demolished several temples and additional edifices at Palmyra, claiming that they were un-Islamic. International authorities denounced the damage as a violation.
Many historical objects were also damaged or taken from dig sites and cultural institutions.
