Valuable Statues Taken from the National Museum in Damascus

Ancient sculptures and additional items have been taken from the National Museum of Syria in the capital, sources confirm.

The robbery was found on the start of the week, when museum workers apparently found that an entrance had been forced from the inside.

The half-dozen taken sculptures were made of marble and originated to the ancient Roman times, an authority stated to the media outlet.

Cultural heritage officials said it had opened an investigation to determine the "details surrounding the loss of a number of exhibits", and that actions had been enacted to enhance safeguarding and surveillance.

The head of national security in the Damascus region, General Osama Atkeh, was quoted by the state-run Sana news agency as declaring that law enforcement were probing the incident, which he said had focused on several "archaeological statues and valuable objects".

He added that security personnel at the facility and other persons were being questioned.

The National Museum, which was created in the early twentieth century, contains the primary cultural treasures in Syria.

It includes historical records originating to the ancient era from historical site, where proof of the most ancient complete alphabet was discovered; early centuries CE ancient art from the ancient city, among the foremost cultural centres of the historical period; and a ancient religious building that was established at an ancient location.

The facility was had to cease operations in 2012, twelve months after the beginning of the destructive conflict. Most of the holdings was evacuated and stored at secure places to protect them.

It partially resumed in recent years and completely reopened in January 2025, a month after insurgents deposed the Assad regime.

All six of Syria's Unesco World Heritage sites were affected or partially destroyed during the conflict.

The militant faction demolished several temples and additional edifices at the archaeological site, claiming that they were idolatrous. Unesco censured the damage as a war crime.

Many historical objects were also lost or stolen from dig sites and collections.