Ancient Statues Taken from the National Museum in Damascus

Valuable sculptures and other artefacts have been taken from the National Museum of Syria in Damascus, sources confirm.

The theft was found on Monday, when employees apparently found that an entrance had been forced from the inside.

The half-dozen stolen sculptures were crafted from marble and traced back to the Roman era, one official told the media outlet.

Cultural heritage officials said it had launched a probe to establish the "events surrounding the theft of a group of items", and that actions had been implemented to strengthen security and surveillance.

The head of domestic security in Damascus province, Security Chief Atkeh, was cited by the official media as saying that security forces were examining the incident, which he said had targeted several "historical artifacts and rare collectibles".

He continued that museum protectors at the facility and other persons were being questioned.

The National Museum, which was established in the early twentieth century, houses the significant historical artifacts in Syria.

It includes historical records originating to the 14th Century BC from an ancient city, where proof of the earliest complete alphabet was found; Greco-Roman period Greco-Roman sculptures from Palmyra, a significant cultural centres of the classical era; and a third century religious building that was constructed at Dura Europos.

The institution was compelled to shut in the early 2010s, one year after the start of the devastating civil war. Most of the artifacts was transferred and stored at secret locations to ensure their safety.

It partially resumed in 2018 and returned to normal in January 2025, four weeks after insurgents removed President Bashar al-Assad.

Every one of nationally recognized sites were harmed or partially destroyed during the internal struggle.

The IS organization demolished multiple temples and other structures at Palmyra, claiming that they were un-Islamic. International authorities condemned the demolition as a violation.

Numerous cultural items were also lost or looted from dig sites and museums.