Historic Statues Removed from Syria's National Museum Located in Damascus
Historic sculptures and other artefacts have been taken from the National Museum of Syria in the capital, officials say.
The robbery was found on the start of the week, when museum workers allegedly found that an entrance had been forced from the inside.
The multiple taken pieces were marble creations and originated to the ancient Roman times, one official told the media outlet.
Cultural heritage officials said it had opened an investigation to determine the "events surrounding the disappearance of a group of artifacts", and that measures had been implemented to improve safeguarding and observation methods.
The director of internal security in Damascus province, Brig-Gen Osama Atkeh, was quoted by the official media as stating that security forces were probing the robbery, which he said had affected several "archaeological statues and valuable objects".
He continued that guards at the museum and other persons were being questioned.
The Damascus Museum, which was created in 1919, holds the primary cultural treasures in Syria.
It features historical records dating back to the ancient era from historical site, where evidence of the earliest complete alphabet was uncovered; early centuries CE Greco-Roman sculptures from historical site, among the foremost ancient sites of the ancient world; and a 3rd Century AD religious building that was established at Dura Europos.
The facility was compelled to shut in the early 2010s, one year after the beginning of the internal strife. Most of the artifacts was evacuated and kept at undisclosed sites to ensure their safety.
It reopened partially in recent years and returned to normal in the beginning of the year, one month after opposition groups removed President Bashar al-Assad.
Each of the six of Syria's Unesco World Heritage sites were damaged or partly ruined during the conflict.
The IS organization destroyed numerous ancient buildings and other structures at Palmyra, claiming that they were against their beliefs. The cultural organization denounced the destruction as a war crime.
Many historical objects were also destroyed or stolen from archaeological sites and cultural institutions.
