Valuable Statues Removed from the National Museum Located in Damascus

Ancient sculptures and other artefacts have been taken from Syria's National Museum in Damascus, sources confirm.

The burglary was found on the start of the week, when staff apparently found that one of the museum's doors had been broken from the inside.

The half-dozen missing sculptures were made of marble and traced back to the Roman era, an authority told the news agency.

The nation's antiquities authority said it had initiated an inquiry to identify the "details surrounding the theft of a group of exhibits", and that actions had been enacted to improve safeguarding and monitoring systems.

The director of national security in the capital area, Brig-Gen Osama Atkeh, was quoted by the government press as declaring that security forces were examining the theft, which he said had targeted several "ancient sculptures and unique items".

He continued that museum protectors at the institution and other persons were being interrogated.

The National Museum, which was established in 1919, holds the most important historical artifacts in the country.

It contains historical records dating back to the 14th Century BC from historical site, where proof of the earliest writing system was uncovered; early centuries CE Greco-Roman sculptures from the ancient city, among the foremost cultural centres of the classical era; and a third century religious building that was built at an ancient location.

The facility was had to cease operations in 2012, twelve months after the beginning of the internal strife. Most of the artifacts was removed and preserved at secret locations to safeguard them.

It reopened partially in 2018 and completely reopened in January 2025, four weeks after insurgents removed the Assad regime.

Each of the six of the country's cultural landmarks were affected or partially destroyed during the conflict.

The IS organization demolished multiple temples and other structures at the ancient city, asserting that they were un-Islamic. International authorities censured the damage as a violation.

Numerous artefacts were also damaged or looted from archaeological sites and cultural institutions.