Ancient Sculptures Stolen from Syria's National Museum Located in Damascus
Ancient statues and additional items have been removed from Syria's National Museum in the capital, sources confirm.
The robbery was found on Monday, when staff allegedly found that one of the museum's doors had been forced from the interior.
The six missing statues were crafted from marble and dated back to the Roman era, a source stated to the news agency.
The nation's antiquities authority said it had initiated an inquiry to identify the "details surrounding the disappearance of a collection of artifacts", and that actions had been enacted to improve protection and observation methods.
The chief of national security in the capital area, General Osama Atkeh, was cited by the state-run Sana news agency as saying that law enforcement were investigating the robbery, which he said had targeted several "ancient sculptures and rare collectibles".
He noted that security personnel at the institution and additional people were being questioned.
The National Museum, which was founded in 1919, houses the most important historical artifacts in Syria.
It includes historical records dating back to the ancient era from Ugarit, where indications of the earliest writing system was found; 1st and 2nd Century AD ancient art from historical site, among the foremost cultural centres of the historical period; and a ancient religious building that was constructed at an ancient location.
The institution was had to cease operations in 2012, a year after the start of the destructive conflict. The majority of the holdings was evacuated and kept at undisclosed sites to ensure their safety.
It partially resumed in recent years and returned to normal in early this year, four weeks after insurgents overthrew the Assad regime.
Each of the six of Syria's Unesco World Heritage sites were affected or partly ruined during the conflict.
The militant faction demolished numerous religious structures and additional edifices at the archaeological site, stating that they were against their beliefs. The cultural organization condemned the destruction as a violation.
Many cultural items were also damaged or stolen from historical locations and collections.
