Historic Sculptures Stolen from Syria's National Museum Located in Damascus
Historic statues and additional items have been removed from the National Museum of Syria in the capital, authorities report.
The burglary was found on Monday, when staff allegedly found that one of the museum's doors had been damaged from the inside.
The half-dozen missing sculptures were marble creations and dated back to the Roman era, one official informed the Associated Press.
Syria's Directorate-General for Antiquities and Museums said it had opened an investigation to identify the "events surrounding the theft of a group of artifacts", and that measures had been implemented to strengthen security and surveillance.
The chief of domestic security in Damascus province, General Osama Atkeh, was referenced by the official media as declaring that security forces were probing the robbery, which he said had affected several "historical artifacts and unique items".
He noted that security personnel at the museum and additional people were being interrogated.
The cultural institution, which was established in 1919, contains the most important cultural treasures in Syria.
It contains clay cuneiform tablets tracing back to the Bronze Age from Ugarit, where indications of the earliest writing system was discovered; 1st and 2nd Century AD ancient art from the ancient city, among the foremost cultural centres of the classical era; and a third century Jewish temple that was established at another archaeological site.
The facility was compelled to shut in 2012, a year after the start of the internal strife. Most of the holdings was removed and kept at secret locations to ensure their safety.
It reopened partially in recent years and resumed full operations in the beginning of the year, four weeks after opposition groups deposed the Assad regime.
Each of the six of the country's cultural landmarks were affected or partially destroyed during the internal struggle.
The militant faction blew up several temples and other structures at the archaeological site, stating that they were idolatrous. International authorities denounced the demolition as a atrocity.
Countless historical objects were also lost or looted from dig sites and museums.
