Valuable Sculptures Taken from Syria's National Museum in Damascus
Historic statues and cultural objects have been stolen from Syria's National Museum in the capital, authorities report.
The theft was noticed on Monday, when museum workers reportedly found that an entrance had been forced from the inside.
The half-dozen stolen pieces were made of marble and originated to the ancient Roman times, one official informed the media outlet.
The nation's antiquities authority said it had opened an investigation to establish the "details surrounding the disappearance of a collection of exhibits", and that measures had been enacted to enhance protection and surveillance.
The head of internal security in the capital area, Brig-Gen Osama Atkeh, was cited by the state-run Sana news agency as stating that law enforcement were probing the robbery, which he said had targeted several "archaeological statues and valuable objects".
He added that museum protectors at the institution and other individuals were being interviewed.
The cultural institution, which was created in 1919, contains the primary archaeological collection in Syria.
It includes clay cuneiform tablets tracing back to the ancient era from historical site, where indications of the oldest known complete alphabet was found; early centuries CE Greco-Roman sculptures from the ancient city, one of the most important ancient sites of the classical era; and a third century religious building that was established at an ancient location.
The facility was compelled to shut in the early 2010s, a year after the start of the internal strife. The majority of the collection was removed and stored at secure places to protect them.
It began limited operations in recent years and completely reopened in early this year, one month after opposition groups overthrew Syria's former leader.
Each of the six of Syria's Unesco World Heritage sites were affected or partially destroyed during the civil war.
The militant faction blew up numerous ancient buildings and additional edifices at the archaeological site, asserting that they were against their beliefs. International authorities censured the demolition as a violation.
Countless cultural items were also damaged or stolen from archaeological sites and collections.
