🔗 Share this article

Valuable artifacts and additional items have been stolen from Syria's National Museum in Damascus, officials say.

The robbery was noticed on Monday, when museum workers reportedly found that a doorway had been broken from the interior.

The multiple missing statues were made of marble and originated to the Roman era, an authority told the news agency.

The nation's antiquities authority said it had opened an investigation to determine the "events surrounding the disappearance of a collection of artifacts", and that steps had been taken to strengthen security and observation methods.

The director of domestic security in Damascus province, Brig-Gen Osama Atkeh, was quoted by the official media as stating that security forces were examining the robbery, which he said had focused on several "archaeological statues and valuable objects".

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

The cultural institution, which was established in 1919, houses the significant cultural treasures in Syria.

It includes historical records tracing back to the Bronze Age from an ancient city, where indications of the oldest known writing system was uncovered; Greco-Roman period classical statues from historical site, one of the most important cultural centres of the ancient world; and a third century Jewish temple that was built at an ancient location.

The facility was compelled to shut in 2012, a year after the beginning of the internal strife. The majority of the holdings was evacuated and preserved at secure places to ensure their safety.

It partially resumed in recent years and resumed full operations in January 2025, one month after rebel forces overthrew the Assad regime.

Each of the six of Syria's Unesco World Heritage sites were damaged or partially destroyed during the civil war.

The Islamic State group destroyed several religious structures and other structures at the ancient city, stating that they were against their beliefs. The cultural organization condemned the damage as a violation.

Numerous historical objects were also destroyed or stolen from historical locations and museums.