Ancient Sculptures Removed from the National Museum in Damascus

Valuable artifacts and additional items have been stolen from the National Museum of Syria in the capital, officials say.

The robbery was discovered on Monday, when employees apparently found that one of the museum's doors had been forced from the interior.

The six taken pieces were made of marble and originated to the ancient Roman times, an authority informed the Associated Press.

Cultural heritage officials said it had launched a probe to identify the "events surrounding the disappearance of a group of items", and that measures had been enacted to enhance protection and surveillance.

The director of domestic security in the Damascus region, Brig-Gen Osama Atkeh, was referenced by the government press as saying that authorities were examining the theft, which he said had focused on several "archaeological statues and rare collectibles".

He noted that guards at the facility and additional people were being questioned.

The cultural institution, which was established in the early twentieth century, houses the primary cultural treasures in the country.

It contains clay cuneiform tablets originating to the Bronze Age from an ancient city, where indications of the most ancient writing system was discovered; Greco-Roman period classical statues from the ancient city, among the foremost ancient sites of the classical era; and a ancient synagogue that was established at an ancient location.

The facility was forced to close in the early 2010s, one year after the outbreak of the devastating civil war. A large portion of the holdings was transferred and preserved at secret locations to protect them.

It began limited operations in 2018 and returned to normal in early this year, a month after insurgents overthrew Syria's former leader.

Each of the six of nationally recognized sites were damaged or significantly impacted during the civil war.

The militant faction destroyed several temples and additional edifices at the ancient city, stating that they were idolatrous. Unesco condemned the destruction as a atrocity.

Many historical objects were also lost or looted from dig sites and museums.