Valuable Artifacts Taken from the National Museum Located in Damascus
Ancient artifacts and additional items have been stolen from the National Museum of Syria in the capital, authorities report.
The theft was noticed on Monday, when museum workers apparently found that an entrance had been forced from the interior.
The multiple stolen pieces were marble creations and originated to the Roman era, an authority stated to the Associated Press.
Syria's Directorate-General for Antiquities and Museums said it had launched a probe to establish the "events surrounding the disappearance of a collection of items", and that actions had been enacted to improve protection and surveillance.
The head of internal security in the capital area, General Osama Atkeh, was cited by the official media as stating that authorities were investigating the robbery, which he said had focused on several "archaeological statues and unique items".
He continued that museum protectors at the institution and other persons were being interviewed.
The cultural institution, which was founded in 1919, holds the most important cultural treasures in the country.
It contains clay cuneiform tablets dating back to the Bronze Age from an ancient city, where proof of the earliest writing system was uncovered; Greco-Roman period ancient art from historical site, a significant historical locations of the historical period; and a 3rd Century AD religious building that was constructed at Dura Europos.
The institution was compelled to shut in 2012, twelve months after the outbreak of the destructive conflict. The majority of the collection was removed and preserved at undisclosed sites to ensure their safety.
It partially resumed in 2018 and returned to normal in early this year, one month after insurgents overthrew the Assad regime.
Each of the six of nationally recognized sites were damaged or partially destroyed during the conflict.
The IS organization blew up several ancient buildings and historical sites at Palmyra, claiming that they were idolatrous. Unesco denounced the damage as a atrocity.
Numerous historical objects were also destroyed or stolen from dig sites and collections.
