Valuable Sculptures Stolen from the National Museum Located in Damascus
Historic statues and cultural objects have been taken from Syria's National Museum in the capital, officials say.
The burglary was noticed on Monday, when employees reportedly found that one of the museum's doors had been broken from the interior.
The six stolen statues were crafted from marble and dated back to the Roman period, one official informed the news agency.
The nation's antiquities authority said it had opened an investigation to determine the "circumstances surrounding the theft of a collection of items", and that steps had been taken to strengthen safeguarding and surveillance.
The chief of national security in Damascus province, Security Chief Atkeh, was quoted by the official media as stating that law enforcement were probing the incident, which he said had affected several "archaeological statues and unique items".
He added that security personnel at the facility and additional people were being interrogated.
The cultural institution, which was created in 1919, holds the primary historical artifacts in the country.
It includes historical records tracing back to the 14th Century BC from an ancient city, where evidence of the oldest known writing system was found; 1st and 2nd Century AD Greco-Roman sculptures from the ancient city, one of the most important cultural centres of the ancient world; and a 3rd Century AD synagogue that was built at another archaeological site.
The institution was forced to close in 2012, twelve months after the start of the destructive conflict. A large portion of the collection was transferred and preserved at secure places to protect them.
It partially resumed in recent years and returned to normal in early this year, four weeks after insurgents deposed Syria's former leader.
Every one of nationally recognized sites were damaged or partially destroyed during the conflict.
The Islamic State group destroyed numerous ancient buildings and other structures at Palmyra, claiming that they were against their beliefs. The cultural organization denounced the demolition as a violation.
Countless artefacts were also damaged or looted from archaeological sites and museums.