Historic Sculptures Removed from the National Museum Located in Damascus

Ancient sculptures and additional items have been stolen from the National Museum of Syria in the capital, authorities report.

The burglary was found on the start of the week, when staff apparently found that an entrance had been forced from the interior.

The multiple taken pieces were marble creations and originated to the Roman period, one official informed the news agency.

Cultural heritage officials said it had initiated an inquiry to determine the "circumstances surrounding the theft of a number of exhibits", and that steps had been enacted to improve safeguarding and observation methods.

The director of domestic security in the Damascus region, Brig-Gen Osama Atkeh, was cited by the official media as saying that security forces were probing the robbery, which he said had affected several "archaeological statues and unique items".

He added that security personnel at the institution and additional people were being interviewed.

The cultural institution, which was established in 1919, holds the significant historical artifacts in Syria.

It includes clay cuneiform tablets tracing back to the ancient era from Ugarit, where indications of the earliest linguistic system was found; Greco-Roman period Greco-Roman sculptures from historical site, one of the most important cultural centres of the historical period; and a 3rd Century AD synagogue that was built at another archaeological site.

The facility was had to cease operations in the early 2010s, twelve months after the outbreak of the destructive conflict. The majority of the holdings was removed and kept at secret locations to ensure their safety.

It reopened partially in 2018 and resumed full operations in the beginning of the year, four weeks after rebel forces overthrew President Bashar al-Assad.

Every one of Syria's Unesco World Heritage sites were damaged or partially destroyed during the civil war.

The militant faction destroyed multiple temples and additional edifices at the archaeological site, asserting that they were against their beliefs. Unesco denounced the damage as a war crime.

Countless artefacts were also lost or looted from archaeological sites and collections.