Valuable Statues Stolen from the National Museum Located in Damascus

Valuable artifacts and cultural objects have been taken from the National Museum of Syria in Damascus, officials say.

The robbery was discovered on the start of the week, when staff apparently found that a doorway had been damaged from the interior.

The six stolen sculptures were crafted from marble and originated to the ancient Roman times, a source told the Associated Press.

Cultural heritage officials said it had opened an investigation to establish the "details surrounding the disappearance of a group of exhibits", and that steps had been enacted to improve safeguarding and surveillance.

The director of national security in the Damascus region, Brig-Gen Osama Atkeh, was cited by the official media as declaring that security forces were investigating the incident, which he said had targeted several "archaeological statues and rare collectibles".

He continued that guards at the institution and additional people were being interviewed.

The National Museum, which was founded in the early twentieth century, contains the most important archaeological collection in the country.

It features clay cuneiform tablets dating back to the Bronze Age from Ugarit, where evidence of the most ancient writing system was discovered; Greco-Roman period ancient art from historical site, among the foremost historical locations of the classical era; and a 3rd Century AD synagogue that was built at Dura Europos.

The institution was compelled to shut in the early 2010s, twelve months after the beginning of the destructive conflict. A large portion of the holdings was transferred and preserved at undisclosed sites to safeguard them.

It began limited operations in recent years and completely reopened in January 2025, four weeks after insurgents overthrew the Assad regime.

Each of the six of nationally recognized sites were harmed or significantly impacted during the internal struggle.

The Islamic State group blew up multiple ancient buildings and other structures at Palmyra, asserting that they were idolatrous. The cultural organization condemned the demolition as a war crime.

Numerous historical objects were also lost or stolen from archaeological sites and collections.