Historic Statues Taken from the National Museum Located in Damascus

Valuable statues and cultural objects have been stolen from the National Museum of Syria in the capital, authorities report.

The robbery was noticed on Monday, when employees apparently found that a doorway had been damaged from the inside.

The multiple stolen statues were made of marble and originated to the Roman era, a source stated to the news agency.

Syria's Directorate-General for Antiquities and Museums said it had initiated an inquiry to identify the "circumstances surrounding the theft of a collection of artifacts", and that actions had been enacted to strengthen security and surveillance.

The head of internal security in the Damascus region, General Osama Atkeh, was cited by the government press as declaring that law enforcement were examining the theft, which he said had affected several "archaeological statues and valuable objects".

He noted that security personnel at the facility and other individuals were being interrogated.

The cultural institution, which was founded in the early twentieth century, contains the primary cultural treasures in the country.

It includes ancient inscribed tablets originating to the 14th Century BC from historical site, where proof of the earliest writing system was discovered; 1st and 2nd Century AD ancient art from the ancient city, a significant historical locations of the ancient world; and a ancient synagogue that was constructed at an ancient location.

The institution was forced to close in 2012, twelve months after the outbreak of the devastating civil war. The majority of the holdings was transferred and preserved at undisclosed sites to ensure their safety.

It began limited operations in 2018 and returned to normal in January 2025, a month after opposition groups removed President Bashar al-Assad.

Each of the six of the country's cultural landmarks were affected or partly ruined during the internal struggle.

The Islamic State group destroyed numerous ancient buildings and additional edifices at the archaeological site, stating that they were un-Islamic. The cultural organization censured the demolition as a atrocity.

Numerous artefacts were also destroyed or looted from archaeological sites and collections.