🔗 Share this article

Ancient sculptures and other artefacts have been stolen from Syria's National Museum in Damascus, officials say.

The theft was discovered on the start of the week, when staff allegedly found that one of the museum's doors had been broken from the interior.

The multiple missing sculptures were marble creations and originated to the Roman period, an authority informed the news agency.

Syria's Directorate-General for Antiquities and Museums said it had initiated an inquiry to determine the "details surrounding the loss of a number of artifacts", and that actions had been taken to enhance security and monitoring systems.

The head of national security in Damascus province, Brig-Gen Osama Atkeh, was cited by the government press as saying that authorities were examining the theft, which he said had affected several "ancient sculptures and valuable objects".

He continued that security personnel at the facility and other individuals were being questioned.

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

It contains clay cuneiform tablets dating back to the ancient era from Ugarit, where evidence of the oldest known linguistic system was found; Greco-Roman period ancient art from Palmyra, one of the most important cultural centres of the classical era; and a third century synagogue that was constructed at an ancient location.

The facility was had to cease operations in the early 2010s, one year after the beginning of the devastating civil war. The majority of the collection was removed and kept at secure places to safeguard them.

It began limited operations in 2018 and returned to normal in early this year, a month after insurgents deposed President Bashar al-Assad.

All six of nationally recognized sites were damaged or partially destroyed during the internal struggle.

The militant faction destroyed multiple temples and additional edifices at the ancient city, claiming that they were un-Islamic. Unesco denounced the demolition as a atrocity.

Countless historical objects were also damaged or taken from historical locations and collections.