🔗 Share this article

Historic artifacts and cultural objects have been stolen from Syria's National Museum in the capital, authorities report.

The burglary was noticed on Monday, when museum workers allegedly found that a doorway had been forced from the inside.

The multiple missing pieces were crafted from marble and originated to the ancient Roman times, an authority informed the news agency.

The nation's antiquities authority said it had opened an investigation to identify the "events surrounding the theft of a group of artifacts", and that measures had been taken to improve safeguarding and monitoring systems.

The director of national security in the Damascus region, Security Chief Atkeh, was quoted by the official media as saying that authorities were investigating the theft, which he said had affected several "archaeological statues and unique items".

He noted that security personnel at the institution and other individuals were being interrogated.

The cultural institution, which was established in 1919, houses the most important archaeological collection in Syria.

It includes ancient inscribed tablets originating to the 14th Century BC from historical site, where evidence of the most ancient complete alphabet was uncovered; Greco-Roman period Greco-Roman sculptures from historical site, among the foremost historical locations of the ancient world; and a 3rd Century AD Jewish temple that was built at Dura Europos.

The museum was had to cease operations in 2012, one year after the outbreak of the devastating civil war. A large portion of the holdings was transferred and kept at secret locations to safeguard them.

It began limited operations in 2018 and resumed full operations in the beginning of the year, a month after opposition groups removed Syria's former leader.

Each of the six of Syria's Unesco World Heritage sites were damaged or partly ruined during the conflict.

The IS organization blew up several temples and historical sites at the ancient city, stating that they were against their beliefs. The cultural organization condemned the damage as a atrocity.

Numerous cultural items were also lost or looted from archaeological sites and museums.