Ancient Artifacts Stolen from the National Museum in Damascus
Historic sculptures and additional items have been taken from the National Museum of Syria in the capital, sources confirm.
The robbery was found on Monday, when museum workers reportedly found that an entrance had been broken from the inside.
The half-dozen stolen statues were marble creations and dated back to the ancient Roman times, an authority told the news agency.
The nation's antiquities authority said it had launched a probe to determine the "details surrounding the theft of a number of artifacts", and that measures had been enacted to enhance security and monitoring systems.
The chief of national security in the capital area, Brig-Gen Osama Atkeh, was referenced by the official media as declaring that law enforcement were examining the robbery, which he said had focused on several "ancient sculptures and valuable objects".
He continued that security personnel at the museum and other persons were being interrogated.
The cultural institution, which was created in 1919, houses the primary historical artifacts in the country.
It features ancient inscribed tablets tracing back to the 14th Century BC from historical site, where evidence of the most ancient complete alphabet was discovered; 1st and 2nd Century AD ancient art from historical site, among the foremost historical locations of the historical period; and a third century synagogue that was established at another archaeological site.
The facility was forced to close in the early 2010s, twelve months after the beginning of the devastating civil war. The majority of the artifacts was removed and kept at secure places to ensure their safety.
It began limited operations in recent years and resumed full operations in the beginning of the year, one month after opposition groups deposed Syria's former leader.
Each of the six of Syria's Unesco World Heritage sites were damaged or significantly impacted during the conflict.
The IS organization demolished several ancient buildings and other structures at Palmyra, claiming that they were against their beliefs. International authorities condemned the damage as a war crime.
Many historical objects were also damaged or stolen from dig sites and cultural institutions.
